What’s wrong with this girl?

[Barbs Girls]

Checked for lice and mites, treated with permethrin initially just to be safe. Seems like the feather loss is getting worse not better. Bought some Blu Kote, going to get it on-her when she goes to roost. She and one other gal seem affected, the other mostly around her tail feathers. Flock of 12, plenty of room, no one else having this problem. No mites or lice seen and I have been checking the coop at night. They are both spunky like usual. Thoughts?

 

[Barbs Girls]

@Eggcessive, @casportpony

 

[Barbs Girls]

@Texas Kiki

 

[Barbs Girls]

@Texas Kiki

@aart

 

[aart]

How old are they?
Is there a cock/erel?
Looks like they also might be molting.
Is that fat crop going down overnight?

 

[Barbs Girls]

She is 1of 7 of our original flock about 18 months old. Our other 5 are 17 weeks. No cockerels. Crop is down in the morning. They are on all flock pellets. I thought about a molt as well but this started a few months ago.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Looks like she is going through her ‘ hard ‘ moult.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Crop is down in the morning

Crop is going down in the morning, but is it empty?

I would also take the time to watch the flock's interactions with her. Even though you don't have a rooster, you may have a hen that is mounting her. The loss at the wings and back of head really do look like mounting damage. If you can, also watch behavior during roosting, see if she's getting plucked.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yes feather eating would be my next guess. Birds that are deficient in essential amino acid Methionine will crave the extra protein they get from eating their flock mates feathers.

 

[Barbs Girls]

Crop is going down in the morning, but is it empty?

I would also take the time to watch the flock's interactions with her. Even though you don't have a rooster, you may have a hen that is mounting her. The loss at the wings and back of head really do look like mounting damage. If you can, also watch behavior during roosting, see if she's getting plucked.

Thx, I believe it is empty in the morning, I will feel it today. I do watch them and have not seen anyone mounting her but would not be surprised if someone is plucking her. How do you stop that?