Ugly Crazy Feathers…Trying to Fix!!

[AZChickieMom]

@PippinTheChicken they do seem to peck each other a lot so I will try that and see what happens!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

1st hen photo she's molting.
The others have broken feathers and some damage from picking one another.

What do you feed?
Increase protein. You can feed chick starter or an all flock feed.

Sometimes more space is needed as well.

 

[AZChickieMom]

1st hen photo she's molting.
The others have broken feathers and some damage from picking one another.

What do you feed?
Increase protein. You can feed chick starter or an all flock feed.

Sometimes more space is needed as well.

They have 33 square feet each bird in the run and they never use their little coop house. Unfortunately we don’t have a ton of room in our backyard to it may be difficult trying to give them much more room We have them on dr pols 28% protein feed for now until we see some improvement in their feathers. I did also buy kalmbachs because it’s still high protein but not too high where I worry about them getting hurt from too much protein. I’m definitely going to treat for lice and mites just in case and then try to add some more feeders and waterers to see if that helps a little too. I just wish they all molted like Ruby because her feathers look like they’re coming back nicely!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have 33 square feet each bird in the run and they never use their little coop house. Unfortunately we don’t have a ton of room in our backyard to it may be difficult trying to give them much more room We have them on dr pols 28% protein feed for now until we see some improvement in their feathers. I did also buy kalmbachs because it’s still high protein but not too high where I worry about them getting hurt from too much protein. I’m definitely going to treat for lice and mites just in case and then try to add some more feeders and waterers to see if that helps a little too. I just wish they all molted like Ruby because her feathers look like they’re coming back nicely!

I would not feed the 28% long term that's for sure.
I do use a 20% protein feed year round, but I also like to give scratch. More scratch to free roaming gamefowl and a very small amount to cooped layers and housed roosters.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Also, sick or ill chickens tend to forget about preening and looking after themselves. Sick chickens are hard to spot since they hide it pretty well, have you looked for signs of illness?

 

[AZChickieMom]

I would not feed the 28% long term that's for sure.
I do use a 20% protein feed year round, but I also like to give scratch. More scratch to free roaming gamefowl and a very small amount to cooped layers and housed roosters.

I think I will keep them at 20% from now on as well and I haven’t really given scratch this year because I worry about the corn and the Arizona heat. Are there other things I can give them to help their plumage and health?

 

[AZChickieMom]

Also, sick or ill chickens tend to forget about preening and looking after themselves. Sick chickens are hard to spot since they hide it pretty well, have you looked for signs of illness?

One of them had a prolapsed vent a while back and I noticed her acting odd and then saw the bloody vent and I was able to fix it and get everything healthy again, so I try to keep an eye out on that as much as I can. I noted the eggs were bloody on the shell after they laid them too but haven’t seen that since I addressed the prolapsed vent. They are right outside of our living room windows so I see them all the time and can check in on them all day and I do see them preening together. They dust bathe and fight over the spots too. We are thinking the dirt maybe is a problem? We are going make them a sand dust bath and add herbs and other things to it so they have a special bath to help combat parasites just in case that’s what it is

 

[BlueBaby]

I think I will keep them at 20% from now on as well and I haven’t really given scratch this year because I worry about the corn and the Arizona heat. Are there other things I can give them to help their plumage and health?

Hello, I'm here in Arizona, also. Some feed a little bit of the canned cat food during the molting. You could probably mix up a little bit of it into some wet feed for them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think I will keep them at 20% from now on as well and I haven’t really given scratch this year because I worry about the corn and the Arizona heat. Are there other things I can give them to help their plumage and health?

One of them had a prolapsed vent a while back and I noticed her acting odd and then saw the bloody vent and I was able to fix it and get everything healthy again, so I try to keep an eye out on that as much as I can. I noted the eggs were bloody on the shell after they laid them too but haven’t seen that since I addressed the prolapsed vent. They are right outside of our living room windows so I see them all the time and can check in on them all day and I do see them preening together. They dust bathe and fight over the spots too. We are thinking the dirt maybe is a problem? We are going make them a sand dust bath and add herbs and other things to it so they have a special bath to help combat parasites just in case that’s what it is

The feathers that are broken, worn and nipped off won't be replaced until they molt. Since Ruby is molting now, the others may not be far behind. Then again, it can be staggered, each bird is different.
I've had siblings...one molted in fall, the other was naked mid January when it 19F...go figure, but that's just the way it is.

I normally don't increase protein during molt since they get 20% feed daily. I may give the flock a treat of scrambled eggs if I have enough extra at the time.
Individual birds that seem to be struggling with molt (sluggish acting) I will direct dose them with Poultry Cell a couple of times a week. Molting can be hard on some, others it doesn't seem to phase that much, so I just monitor each bird and see what they may need.

 

[AZChickieMom]

The feathers that are broken, worn and nipped off won't be replaced until they molt. Since Ruby is molting now, the others may not be far behind. Then again, it can be staggered, each bird is different.
I've had siblings...one molted in fall, the other was naked mid January when it 19F...go figure, but that's just the way it is.

I normally don't increase protein during molt since they get 20% feed daily. I may give the flock a treat of scrambled eggs if I have enough extra at the time.
Individual birds that seem to be struggling with molt (sluggish acting) I will direct dose them with Poultry Cell a couple of times a week. Molting can be hard on some, others it doesn't seem to phase that much, so I just monitor each bird and see what they may need.

Thank you!! I was wondering if maybe it will take them time to grow those bigger pin feathers back. Ruby is also the head hen in charge and was also broody most of the winter (we kept having to stop her and she would stop a couple weeks and then go back to it again). She’s also pretty aggressive towards the others, she pecks them pretty badly. We were thinking she was the cause since she looked great until her molt and our other girls looked rough. I wish it was more simple! I love my girls and just want them happy and healthy