The molting process is the most likely reason that your chickens lose feathers. One supplement we do give our chickens is ginger powder, and weve written about this extensively here. The only other thing you could do is get them a molting mix feed- your local feed store will stock it. The Complete Guide To Chicken Parasites If you still have any lingering doubts about feather loss, the following should help clear them up. My chicken has lost a 3in wide strip of feathers from her breast to her bottom. My chicken was attacked an her feathers never came back on her neck. Sounds like she certainly could be being bullied. There isnt one specific hen that is targeting her so Ive separated her because she is majorly stressed out but I dont know what else to do. They are free range during the day and locked up at night. Im not just talking a few, its a lot. I have 4 and she is the only one. I feed them extra protein and they get apple cider vinegar in their water everyday. We rescued a debeaked hen from a bad situation where she was malnourished, bullied and pecked. I have never seen them pecking their feathers or picking on each other. Can you please put some info out there on this problem as it was hard to find. It can get stuck in the skin, making the chickens body think that there is a feather there. This will spread to their back and then move to their breast until finally, their tail feathers drop out. feather loss, but it can cause other health problems, too. Sometimes they will even pull the feathers to be used in building their nests! I Want My Free Ebook On Egg Laying Chickens. If you think your chicken might have vent gleet, it's important to take her to the vet as it can be a serious infection. We bought three more chicks, but cant integrate them until they are a little bigger. She is still a homeless little girl. I isolated the chicken with missing feathers and dont know what else to do. Any other ideas or suggestions as to what we can do/change? It looks like they are the only ones who are being targeted and they lose more and more feathers every day. We have seven chickens that are one year old. They will prescribe an anti-fungal strong enough to cure it within days. She keeps losing a ton of feathers, including a few wing feathers. She has lost her tail feathers and several underneath. Well be getting a friend for her from a neighbor soon, so she wont be as lonely. This can be a hard one to rule out as well as to treat, because sometimes, you wont have a lot of control over the environment. One of the hens has lost a lot of her neck feathers and is bald on underside of neck. coop, on the run, on the lawn. My Welsummer is the only one molting. Don't turn the light off and on at various times, which can cause further molting. Left untreated, a mite infestation can even cause your chickens to die, as theyll rob them of the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Loss of vent feathers, swollen abdomen, slight labored breathing - ascites? This can get susceptible to maggots. I hate seeing them so shabby. The content on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary advice. The first sign may be a dead hen with blood around the tail and vent area. prevent it from happening (or stop it) altogether. The vent is the small opening on a chicken's fluffy butt that functions as both a reproductive opening and an excremental escape hatch. What To Do About Wintertime Feather Loss In Chickens I have 3 chickens in one coop and only 2 are losing feathers. Thoughts? Thanks!0. Regularly treat the chickens with external parasites like mites and lice. attacks will be fatal. It does sound very early for a young flock to molt. One last thing we bought two others at the same time. Your email address will not be published. If you can cross all of these other feather-loss causes off your list, its probably molt. Its high in protein so helps stimulate feather grow When you say to dust the chickens what kind of dust? Ive done everything possible killed every bug that could possibly be in there tried everything and Im down to Ive got some horrible bullies. However, it can cause feather loss in that the roosters will stand on top of the hens while they are mating, cutting them or causing them to lose feathers as they pull on the hen with their beaks. If your chickens have lost their feathers for over 12 weeks and there is no obvious sign as to why make sure you visit your vet to double-check they are ok. Just one of the diseases that might cause your chicken to lose feathers is vent gleet. heres my question can I paint the girls with red butts with tree pruning sealer? What breed? Chickens molt during the end of the egg-laying season, in the fall. Hi Maria, Its also been really hot here. I had put them on pellets where before they were on a mesh at the other farm. More space is better, and allowing your birds to free range is always best. Chickens will bully each other if they see any weakness in the flock at all. I guess Ill try the poultry dust just in case. In rare cases, rodents may go after your chickens. Clean your coop on a regular basis at least once a week or use other methods to keep lice and mites away. If you want healthy, happy chickens, you need to make sure they get access to a high protein diet, and the simplest way to do this is through layers pellets. Help. We have tried putting a light in their coop to make their day longer, but no luck. I know all about chickens molting (usually in the fall), but nothing about roosters. Hi Alma, I was just looking for some help. Hi, I have a Barred Rock. Hi Anastasia, Have you noticed this at all? Do you know what kind of parasites? Prevent it by keeping the coop clean and giving your birds proper food and water. I have 5 hens, one of them is losing feathers around its neck area,I havent noticed any bullying etc, in fact they all get on fine, the hen is feeding and drinking well and still laying. Feathers missing on the head can be caused by molting, lice or aggression from other chickens. It could well do- I know sometimes when my girls get stressed they pull their own feathers out I am sri lankan.yesterday i bought 3 hen in the farm.bit 2 hen they are back side lose feathers ?what is the reason?is it diseases ?or parasite ?plzz tell me? Their next home was a 2 car garage until we could complete the new coup, which was larger than their previous dwelling. Chickens loosing butt Feathers. - Countryfarm Lifestyles When it comes to the red mite dust is there any particular brand I should use or a brand I should stay away from? Please seek advice from a certified veterinarian in a case of emergency. The final reason chickens will bully each other is because there isnt enough room in their coop or run. My first thought is usually the worst. Sorry to hear about Miss Pepperpot. Claire, Hi Lisa, Sounds to me like it could be their first major molt as they are around 18 months old now. One of our older chickens is losing her feathers. And if she is doing it to herself, what could be the cause? I live in the woods and I think I could have a mite/lice infestation with my 10 chickens. Hope you solve it Look up sulphur powder for a cure . she is a year old and she also stopped laying eggs. They are around 16 months old. Molting typically happens about once a year, starting at around 18 months old. Also, the sealer is black, so the chickens wont be anywhere near as keen to peck at it, and if they do, it will rub off on their beak, so you know which hens have been bullying. Feather loss can occur anywhere on a chicken. Hi Sammilee, What type of feed do you give them? You can then either isolate the culprits or use a blinder for a few days. It sounds very strange that they molted back-to-back, Im not sure Ive heard of this before. Signs of vent gleet include a runny bottom, redness, and feathers that are stuck together or falling out. It sounds to me like you have a bully in the coop who is plucking their feathers at night! They all start with a swolen vent with a loss of feathers. Why your chicken is losing feathers - thisNZlife You are using an out of date browser. Help! lmeneghin. Please send us an email with photos and we will try to help Early molters drop only a few feathers at a time and may take as long as 4 to 6 months to complete the molt. Ideas? I also ordered some feed with higher protein as well. She turned up in our neighbors yard, but the night before we found her, she had taken shelter in nothing but a dip in the snow. By changing their diet, if youre not careful, you can reduce the amount of protein your chickens are getting, and this can cause them to molt. I dont think its anything to be too concerned about- have you noticed any redness or bleeding? . chicken is losing its plumage, you should be especially if its for this One of my chickens died recently. (I have four Polish Crested and one Silkie.) Claire. Can mice cause so much stress it causes them to lose feathers? You will notice that egg laying has dropped off significantly, and as long as there are no other signs of stress in the flock, you have nothing to worry about. If youve just introduced a group of chickens to the flock or if you have chickens of varying ages, breeds, or dispositions dont be surprised if you find some missing feathers. During this time, you should make sure to treat the hen with parasites as well left on for too long), Too few feeders and drinkers, or They're losing feathers on their neck, thighs, chest, and completely around their vent. Chickens can also lose their feathers when they are being bullied. All the other chickens seem fine. Thank you. Theyve got a run of 24 sq meters so i hope its not lack of space. Are you certain she is laying eggs? Then, a replacement should grow in its place. You might have some chickens that are just downright mean. They are most active at night so if you believe your chickens have been infested check your chickens during nighttime on the areas that have soft feathers such as around . Thanks very much! shock. Claire. Pecking feathers out by other chickens around the vent or on the back is usually . Behavior, Scratching (excessively) Behavior, Straining to defecate (constipation) Behavior, Weakness Behavior, Yawning Body, Bleeding Body, Lump or Mass Body, Seizures Body, Stunted or reduced growth Body, weight gain Body, Weight loss Breathing, abnormal sounds (rales) Breathing, gaping, gasping, difficulty Breathing, Panting Comb, Black spots I have ten chickens, one of my youngest, a one year old blue Marans, is the only one with feather loss. Hi Kenzie, Is there any explanation for this? I would check her for mites/lice because she might be pulling them out because of the itchiness If you want her to stop being broody get her some fertilized eggs to hatch or get the eggs away from her, and make sure she doesnt lay on any eggs. It can cause feather loss anywhere, but it will usually be around the vent area. She is in a clean dog cage but she keeps getting it dirty with poop. Also are there any Roosters in the flock? Many thanks. I dont think there are mites since theyve had multiple home changes is the past 4 months. I thought this is what is happening until today I noticed the bald areas have small reddened areas. (There was about 8 inches of snow at the time this happened.)
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