Will feathers lost in a dog attack grow back before a molt?

[OldManDan]

We had a hen get attacked by a dog last week, and her whole rear is now bald. I'm not sure if the dog pulled out the feathers or it was a "fright molt".

My question is, will her butt feathers start to grow in now, or will they have to wait until she molts? She didn't molt this year, and I'd hate to think she'll have to wait almost a full year for the feathers to grow back. Thankfully she has seemed to recover from the attack and was back to laying two days later.

I've heard it both ways, so I thought I'd post here to get some answers.

Thanks!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! I had one hen that didn't replace the missing feathers until a year late when she molted, and then another hen replaced her feathers right away, this was both after dog attacks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi! I had one hen that didn't replace the missing feathers until a year late when she molted, and then another hen replaced her feathers right away, this was both after dog attacks.

Was the 2nd hen due for a molt?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Was the 2nd hen due for a molt?

No, she had molted in the summer. Only the patch where she lost her feathers grew back.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Fluffy bum-bum feathers can be hard. I guess it's because they're less necessary to keep the bird warm? But anyway, I've seen it take a long time to even molts only for them to grow back, whereas someplace like the back, the feathers will try growing back as soon as they've been plucked. (That is, if they're given the chance.)
I had to trim away some fluffy bum-bum feathers on my Orpington this spring due to a prolapse and her bum is still pretty bald. (She's going into a slow molt, so there's hope on my girl.)
The fluffy bum-bum feathers missing isn't too concerning (unless there's a risk of flystrike) but if you want to rush her on getting them back, forcing her into a molt probably would be key. (I'm not recommending it here, especially because it's not concerning enough to risk resetting a pecking order over.)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You can force a molt?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

You can force a molt?

Yes. I'm more familiar with forcing it by placing them in complete darkness which is usually done during the molting seasons or when the hen first begins to molt. That method is usually to rush the molt by forcing the bird into a hard molt and getting the molt done a lot faster. I have done this molt a few times and have been happy with the bird's results as far as appearance.
The forced molt that I'm not so familiar with (and probably will never try) is typically done with battery hens. The factory will cut back the bird's nutrients (it's basically like they're living on nothing but lettuce) and again, put them in darkness. This is also done during the molting seasons. This gets the whole barn to molt at the same time, again rush it like my method, and it gets the molt over with all at once so the factory isn't losing much money over the lack of eggs.
These methods stop the birds from laying and turns the most of their energy into producing new feathers. Both methods can be dangerous for the bird's health, with the factory molt being even fatal for the weaker birds. When I've done it with mine, the lack of sunshine is the biggest health issue, along with eating and drinking less due to being in the dark 24/7, thus causing weight loss. (I don't always keep them in the dark and let them get some sunshine and possibly free range, but the majority of their time is to be in the dark.)
Forcing a molt should never be done with unhealthy birds, but when you're dealing with plucking issues and birds low in the pecking order, sometimes it's the best option for the chicken to fully get their feathers back without them being damaged by other birds in the flock. Also, if you're into showing and the feathers all coming in at the same time is important, then this could be an option. Again, I don't highly recommend due to the health risks, but it is a thing and I have done it successfully.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not try to force a molt. I would wait for the feathers to grow back in.

 

[Yardmom]

I think regrowth of the feathers depends on the severity of the feather loss. Shafts pulled or just broken exc. Not sure about the fluff.
You said she has not molted this year. How old is she? Could this be the start of a late molt?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes. I'm more familiar with forcing it by placing them in complete darkness which is usually done during the molting seasons or when the hen first begins to molt. That method is usually to rush the molt by forcing the bird into a hard molt and getting the molt done a lot faster. I have done this molt a few times and have been happy with the bird's results as far as appearance.
The forced molt that I'm not so familiar with (and probably will never try) is typically done with battery hens. The factory will cut back the bird's nutrients (it's basically like they're living on nothing but lettuce) and again, put them in darkness. This is also done during the molting seasons. This gets the whole barn to molt at the same time, again rush it like my method, and it gets the molt over with all at once so the factory isn't losing much money over the lack of eggs.
These methods stop the birds from laying and turns the most of their energy into producing new feathers. Both methods can be dangerous for the bird's health, with the factory molt being even fatal for the weaker birds. When I've done it with mine, the lack of sunshine is the biggest health issue, along with eating and drinking less due to being in the dark 24/7, thus causing weight loss. (I don't always keep them in the dark and let them get some sunshine and possibly free range, but the majority of their time is to be in the dark.)
Forcing a molt should never be done with unhealthy birds, but when you're dealing with plucking issues and birds low in the pecking order, sometimes it's the best option for the chicken to fully get their feathers back without them being damaged by other birds in the flock. Also, if you're into showing and the feathers all coming in at the same time is important, then this could be an option. Again, I don't highly recommend due to the health risks, but it is a thing and I have done it successfully.

Thanks for this info. Sounds like it would be really hard on them, though.