What breed and what disease?

[chache9279]

Thank you for your breed guesses. I suppose I'll just have to be patient.

 

[donrae]

Agree with the possibly partridge something.

I have a hen who looks almost as bad right now. It's an early molt, pretty serious, but oddly enough she's still laying....I keep looking for mites, etc, and she's not getting picked on. I had her listed for sale but she's honestly embarrassing, so I'm keeping her until she's feathered back in.

 

[chache9279]

Mine laid an egg today! I can't believe it. Maybe she's not dying afterall. Huh. I hear you about the molt being embarrassing! This poor hen looks awful! I'll give it a month and see how she looks then.

 

[krista74]

I believe she is molting along with being picked on by other chickens. Increase the protein in her diet-scrambled eggs is a good idea-however, I'd add dry cat food and various table scraps to round out her diet. Deworm her and once she is settled in give her a bath in a cat flea shampoo, rinse well, and dry her with a blow dryer.

Molting chickens can change dramatically in appearance.



One month later:

Holy moly! That is an amazing difference.

I have a Momma hen who has a 3 week old chick, and she looks like she is doing a partial moult at the moment. I don't know if that's normal or not, but she looks as raggedy as all get-out! Can't wait until she starts looking like the second picture though.

Krista

 

[krista74]

Mine laid an egg today! I can't believe it. Maybe she's not dying afterall. Huh. I hear you about the molt being embarrassing! This poor hen looks awful! I'll give it a month and see how she looks then.

They are tough little cookies, these chickens!

Congrats on the egg - you are obviously doing a good job to make her feel comfortable.

Krista

 

[theoldchick]

So long as you see new feather coming in, your chicken will survive a hard molt.








And it never hurts to give an encouraging word to those who are feeling especially ugly.

 

[chache9279]

Thank you, Krista! Theoldchick, there's patches of skin where there's no feathers coming in. Do you think that's where other birds plucked them out? With time, maybe they'll grow in? The previous owner said he got her with a bald patch on her neck. He thought, with the way she is now, that she was just getting old; she's only 3. He was astounded when I told him they can live 20-25 years if you take care of them well. I'm hoping whatever it is, she'll pull through.

 

[theoldchick]

If the follicles are damaged the feathers may not grow in, or if they do grow in they may be malformed. But the feathers surrounding the area may be enough to cover the bald area.

 

[chache9279]

Thank you! I will post updates.

 

[One Chick Two]

And it never hurts to give an encouraging word to those who are feeling especially ugly.

LOL! She was looking like she needed a good pep talk.

I'm not sure of the breed, but your girl looks to be in a molt. Plus, some of the other chickens pulled at the front of her neck feathers. If her feathers were all missing from behind her neck, I might be suspicious of a randy rooster.

You can put a small squirt of Poly Vi Sol baby vitamins (without iron) in the scrambled eggs to make sure she is getting a bit of extra nutrition, drizzle water, buttermilk or a bit of yogurt on top. Also try occasionally giving some BOSS (Black oil sunflower seeds in case you're not sure of what that is.) Good luck...