Where to go from here...feathers-pic added

[Farmer Kitty]

I have 12 pullets and 1 roo. The Browns started missing saddle feathers and bottom feathers. I checked for mites and lice but, couldn't find any. I clean coop once a month and it was cleaning time. I did a complete (nest boxes and all) clean out and treated everything with poultry dust as I put it back together and bedded. Then I called the chickens in and did them. That was Sat. afternoon.

Yesterday I checked and saw some pin feathers coming on the Browns. I thought good.

Today when I fed their scratch I watched and saw some bare bottoms on the Blacks.

They are being fed the high protein layer, grit, scratch mix (2 parts BOSS and 1 part cracked corn), and once in a while some left over macaroni or bread. And I feed back the egg shells for added calcium.

I haven't noticed anyone pecking at the others and there are some feathers laying around.

Any suggestions on what else to look for or what to do from here?

 

[justusnak]

Sounds to me like they are starting thier spring moult. Mine are going through it something terrible. Looks like a feather bed exploded out there. Not to mention the eggs are not coming like normal.
Feathers, feathers everywhere, and not an egg to eat! LOL

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm still getting 9- 10 eggs a day.

I thought when they went through a molt it started at the neck? This seems to be starting at the other end!

 

[d.k]

* Are you sure it's not your roo's fault???

 

[McGoo]

Are you sure it's not your roo's fault???

That's the first thing that I thought too. My roo gets a little crazy and it takes a toll on the girls back feathers. Might be a combination

 

[Farmer Kitty]

What about the missing behind feathers. Actually one even had it going as far as her stomach. I thought a roo only did the saddle feathers? I do know that I need to trim his spurs again.

 

[d.k]

* Maybe you've actually got molting, picking AND breeding all going on at once-- unique, but don't think it's impossible! Pretty ghastly though, if that's the case. .

 

[Farmer Kitty]

d.k :

* Maybe you've actually got molting, picking AND breeding all going on at once-- unique, but don't think it's impossible! Pretty ghastly though, if that's the case. .

Ohh Boy! I really don't think it's all that. I'm going to try to clip Sir Roo's spurs tomorrow or this weekend so that will tell there but, the Blacks (which are the newest to the problem) don't have any saddle feather problems-just their bottoms.

I was hoping someone may have more of an idea as I had run through everything that I have learned here. Of course, maybe someone will yet. I'm pretty much at a standstill what to do other than his spurs. I've done them once before and he is good about it.​

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Okay, the saddle feathers that are missing could be from my roo. I have never ruled that out. But combined with the bare bottoms I have a feeling there is something more going on than that. Here is a pic I took this morn of one of my girls.

I believe this isn't roo damage, correct?