Silkie losing feathers!

[Wyorp Rock]

Picture of the molting with new feathers coming through.
She is a lot thinner than my other silkie, but is eating and drinking still
She is no longer roosting at night, she sleeps in a nesting box. I need to fix the perches as there is not enough room.
It's 30'c today and i caught her lying in a nesting box in the hen house, she was hot (panting). I've closed the hen house - other girls have laid today. Not sure why she'd be in the nesting box
what can i give her to fatten her up ?

Can you get some photos of all of her?
You're temps are in the 80's (F) or 30's (C) so that's pretty warm for a bird that is stressed from molting.
I would focus on provide her a bit more protein, not fattening her up. Molting birds don't eat very well, so provide her with her normal nutritionally balanced feed and a little egg, meat or fish as a treat.
You can make her a wet mash of feed adding in a little buttermilk or yogurt to tempt her, mine love that. I also like to give extra vitamins 1-2 times a week during molt. You are in AU, so you may be able to find Nettex Nutri-Drops or other avian vitamins if you have those. If not, you can give her 1/4-1/2 tablet human B-Complex, I usually give mine a vitamin E capsule as well if I'm not giving a poultry vitamin.

She's only 10-12 months old, but she's been broody. Once they come out of broodiness, they molt.
Just keep watch on her and take note that she is staying hydrated and eating something.

 

[Matzwd]

Assuming you have other nest boxes, you could block off the one she likes or or put something in it (an orange cone or a ball of some sort or whatever else would take a lot of the space in there) so she doesn't want to go in.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Definitely molting. My hens get really dry flaky skin when they are molting too. Check for bugs just to be safe, but it looks like molting to me.

 

[annierose]

Can you get some photos of all of her?
You're temps are in the 80's (F) or 30's (C) so that's pretty warm for a bird that is stressed from molting.
I would focus on provide her a bit more protein, not fattening her up. Molting birds don't eat very well, so provide her with her normal nutritionally balanced feed and a little egg, meat or fish as a treat.
You can make her a wet mash of feed adding in a little buttermilk or yogurt to tempt her, mine love that. I also like to give extra vitamins 1-2 times a week during molt. You are in AU, so you may be able to find Nettex Nutri-Drops or other avian vitamins if you have those. If not, you can give her 1/4-1/2 tablet human B-Complex, I usually give mine a vitamin E capsule as well if I'm not giving a poultry vitamin.

She's only 10-12 months old, but she's been broody. Once they come out of broodiness, they molt.
Just keep watch on her and take note that she is staying hydrated and eating something.

Thank you
makes sense she is moulting after being broody!
She is staying hydrated and eating, not losing as many feathers now!

 

[annierose]

Thanks for all the comments and advice!
There has been no changes in her eating and drinking, she's still bright and engaged. Lots of feather regrowing looks like dinosaur scales Her attitude is coming back and she's starting to come back into the pack.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for all the comments and advice!
There has been no changes in her eating and drinking, she's still bright and engaged. Lots of feather regrowing looks like dinosaur scales Her attitude is coming back and she's starting to come back into the pack.

That's good news!

 

[Colorado Philly]

Help!
I've just noticed in the last 24 hours that my 10-11 month old silkie is losing her feather, you can easily pull them out. I just can't believe how easy they are coming out.

I live in Melbourne and It's currently spring, hot day today of 30'C.

She has just finished being broody in the last 1-2 week; where she removed a lot of her belly feathers, i'm seeing some regrowth there.

I've checked her skin the belly which has some growth looks like it got a bit of dry, flaky skin but is otherwise okay.
She's eating & drinking still.

I'm going to dust her with mite powder but worried about her losing more feathers!


I open the coop today to see so many of her feathers under her perch (picture attached).






View attachment 2396870

I would say this is warmth for the chicks since they are born with no feathers, her feathers should come back, JJ