What is happening to my rooster's neck feathers?

[farmkat55]

My hens and their roo are molting right now and that is not a problem per se. They have molted before and it was not like they went bald and they also kept laying. This time is a bit different...there is more feather losing this time that is one thing and some days I get no eggs..ok, so far. But My roo has lost feathers around his neck, like on his throat first and now it is behind his neck and his feathers there look thin. Everyone looks a little moth-eaten right now, but he never looked this different or did this before on his neck. In fact, it was my hens only that seemed to be losing feathers but even that was not as much as everyone is losing this time. Does it matter that they are 18 months old as of this month? Is this a REAL molt and the other times it wasn't as they were younger? I used to have 6 hens but recently lost one and not sure why as she was down on the coop floor one min and in my lap dying the next. She was gone in about 15 minutes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You are probably experiencing a full molt. Sounds like your birds have only gone through partial molts so far.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

And the hen may have been fatty liver syndrome. It can kill quickly. Do you feed fatty treats?

 

[Melky]

Birds really do not experience a full molt until 18-24 months so it makes sense that first year was a juvenile molt and now you are experiencing more symptoms. Extra protein in feed temporarily or treats can help replace feathers quicker.

 

[Melky]

Not sure about the chicken death only a necropsy would tell at this point. If another one passes would prepare for a necropsy. Sorry for your loss.

 

[farmkat55]

Omg...I sure hope I didn't kill my hen! Acckk! I give them green veggies almost every day, every now and then I give them thawed out frozen corn. Sometimes they get fruit. Also, they get some chicken treat things like mealworms, a kind of fruit and nut mix, one of those seed blocks that hang. I also give them a cabbage head that hangs periodically and scratch. They also get feather fixer and conditioner....and they free range during the day. BUT...they don't get any of that every day nor do they get it all at the same time. Am I feeding them wrong?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Omg...I sure hope I didn't kill my hen! Acckk! I give them green veggies almost every day, every now and then I give them thawed out frozen corn. Sometimes they get fruit. Also, they get some chicken treat things like mealworms, a kind of fruit and nut mix, one of those seed blocks that hang. I also give them a cabbage head that hangs periodically and scratch. They also get feather fixer and conditioner....and they free range during the day. BUT...they don't get any of that every day nor do they get it all at the same time. Am I feeding them wrong?

Meal worms can be too rich. Definitely limit those. Anything with fat should be limited. This site may help explain it a bit. Don't be too hard on yourself. It could be just an individual thing for that hen. Sometimes chickens just drop dead. It isn't necessary something abnormal.

https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/feeding-your-chickens-to-death/

 

[chickens really]

Meal worms can be too rich. Definitely limit those. Anything with fat should be limited. This site may help explain it a bit. Don't be too hard on yourself. It could be just an individual thing for that hen. Sometimes chickens just drop dead. It isn't necessary something abnormal.

https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/feeding-your-chickens-to-death/

....

 

[chickens really]

That's molt...So they will be okay. You can toss out dry cat food to up the protein levels of the feed to help in feather growth..