Hi Welly owners...question.
One month ago one of my two 1 1/2 year old hens (the bottom of the rung flock position) over night lost 90% of her neck feathers and her comb, earlobes and all around her eyes bleached out...just as our freezing night temps hit. I separated her from the flock and kept her warm. A total body check for mites or bugs found nothing and there was no indication that any of the others had been pecking on her exposed skin. Her appetite, temperature and poops were and remain normal. Her replacement pin feathers showed up immediately and have now covered most of her neck again. Her comb, earlobes and eye area is still bleached. She's back with the flock, eating, scratching, roosting acting totally normal.
My entire flock of 8 went through their Fall moult in October/November, including her.I would characterize it as a light moult with patchy loss of feathers for everyone. The other Welly's comb lost a bit of its color during the moult but now is a bright, healthy red. At that time egg production stopped (as expected). I do not use supplemental lighting in the coop to encourage laying through the Winter. No eggs were forthcoming until three weeks ago and now the other Welly, both of my Silkies and two of my EE's have started up laying again.
My little bleached hen worries me though. Being the bottom of the pecking order she's the most shy and easiest pushed around
I have always added organic ACV to their water and they have their organic layer mash in front of them 24/7. 3 to 4 mornings a week I feed them some scrambled eggs. Treats are the pulp of organic greens, carrots, veggies that have gone through our juicer. Should I try adding a probiotic to their diet? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
Any and all help is very much appreciated for my hen and my sanity.
Thanx for your input NC Chicken Kate
