Thinking about buying this hen but concerned about its feathers

[Idril]

I’m looking at buying 2 blue copper marans hens to help alleviate some bullying going on in my flock towards one hen, plus my rooster is getting too rough with the 3 he has access to. The feathering on this hen doesn’t look right to me, but I haven’t had blue copper marans before. Do you think this hen is healthy?

I would be buying this and her sister, but I think they only posted pictures of one hen.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I’m looking at buying 2 blue copper marans hens to help alleviate some bullying going on in my flock towards one hen, plus my rooster is getting too rough with the 3 he has access to. The feathering on this hen doesn’t look right to me, but I haven’t had blue copper marans before. Do you think this hen is healthy?

I would be buying this and her sister, but I think they only posted pictures of one hen.

Perhaps she is in a mild molt.

How old is she?

 

[Idril]

Perhaps she is in a mild molt.

How old is she?

19 months

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Looks like she’s molting to me as well.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

19 months

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere (and thus headed toward winter), I would guess that she’s entering her first molt, which would account for the roughness.

If you get her, give her a high-protein (~20%) diet during molt and don’t expect eggs until she’s done.

Beautiful hen!!

 

[Idril]

Thank you everyone for your help! Happy to know it’s most likely just a molt and not an illness.

 

[nuthatched]

Make sure to quarantine her completely seperate for a month

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with the idea it is molt, but molt could hide a lot of sins. Generally I am not a big advocate of quarantine as it is nearly impossible to do well in a traditional backyard, but I would do it in this case. Molt does cause a lot of problems.

You didn't ask, but I don't think adding two birds will help with bullying. They never make friends the way you think they will, and adding more strange birds tends to make bullying much worse, not better.

Mrs K