tail feathers fell off in deep of winter!

[Dhkoenig]

Hi All - it is really cold here n Northern NJ - we have had nights in the teens on and off for a month. A few of my hens molted (their first ever molt because they were hatched in March) in the late fall, but all of a sudden I noticed big tail feathers around in the coop and run over the past week or so and today I realized that my Nellie has literally lost her entire tail! I don't think she is being bullied - there are no signs of bullying or pecking - they tend to get along well, would it be possible for her whole tail to molt off at this time of year in such extreme cold? Attaching a picture of Franny my other leghorn (how they both normally look) and a picture of Nelly with her missing tail. Below left is how tail normally looks and below right shows that the whole tail is gone.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Odd that it’s only her tail, so I doubt it’s a molt. Could she be pulling her own feathers?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

An off season molt is always possible but generally you see more than the tail lost.

When frightened birds can release feathers. I've inadvertently pulled out whole tail feathers trying to catch a bird in the past. Perhaps something tried to grab her? How secure is your set up?

 

[Dhkoenig]

An off season molt is always possible but generally you see more than the tail lost.

When frightened birds can release feathers. I've inadvertently pulled out whole tail feathers trying to catch a bird in the past. Perhaps something tried to grab her? How secure is your set up?

The set-up is fort knox. One day the snow on the top of their run (we have a tilted plexi top) was sliding off and landing on the ground with a big thud and it kept scaring them, would that do it?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The set-up is fort knox. One day the snow on the top of their run (we have a tilted plexi top) was sliding off and landing on the ground with a big thud and it kept scaring them, would that do it?

It might. I can't say for sure though.

 

[azygous]

Have you examined her tail? Look for uniform pin feathers emerging that will indicate molt. If it's any comfort, I have a Sex-link just beginning her first molt at this time, and her Sex-link companion hasn't even started her molt yet. It's not all that uncommon for a chicken to decide to molt at an odd time. I have an EE mix that waited until June to begin her first molt, and then she waited two full years before molting the second time.

Another reason to inspect the tail carefully is because a cancerous lesion may be responsible for the tail feather loss. Two years ago, an older hen of mine suddenly lost her tail feathers. When I looked under her back and tail nub feathers, I discovered a very nasty squamous cell carcinoma covering almost the entire tail nub.

 

[MMPinVA]

One of my hens molted in December and January, and it was only her tail and some feathers on her neck. She also stopped laying. She did look pretty silly for awhile, and the others actually bullied her until most of her feathers grew back. She even slept in the nest box for about a week. Maybe it was warmer? I gave her some extra high-protein meals to help her out, and now she's fully feathered and laying again!

 

[kerbotx]

It could possibly be the END of her molt, as it starts at the head, moves down & across the body, finishing up with the tail. Sometimes, it can take months for the whole process to complete.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Have you examined her tail? Look for uniform pin feathers emerging that will indicate molt. If it's any comfort, I have a Sex-link just beginning her first molt at this time, and her Sex-link companion hasn't even started her molt yet. It's not all that uncommon for a chicken to decide to molt at an odd time. I have an EE mix that waited until June to begin her first molt, and then she waited two full years before molting the second time.

Another reason to inspect the tail carefully is because a cancerous lesion may be responsible for the tail feather loss. Two years ago, an older hen of mine suddenly lost her tail feathers. When I looked under her back and tail nub feathers, I discovered a very nasty squamous cell carcinoma covering almost the entire tail nub.

oh wow what did the squamous cell carcinoma look like? Tomorrow I will try to get my hands on her - she is an evasive sweet timid thing but will have a look - can you tell me what to look for in terms of ruling something like that out??

 

[azygous]

The tumor was a large black scabby thing oozing blood. It was pretty far gone by the time I discovered it, and it was only her losing those tail feathers that caused me to look. Early stages it might look like lots of tiny dark sores, sort of like black pepper sprinkled over the skin.