Chicken losing all it's feathers!

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 13:48

I know a few people on here keep chickens so I was wondering if anyone could help me...one of my hens has been brooding for a while, but didn't want to get her eggs to hatch until we built a bigger run.

Over the past week she has been losing feathers, she's not far off being bald and quite frankly she looks ridiculous.:o

Anyone had experience of this? I've seen moulting chickens before but not to this extent.

Hugh Jboobs · 21/10/12 - 13:59

Sounds like a fowl problem to have.

A quick Google search reveals these, which may help:

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/chicken-feather-loss.aspx

http://www.downthelane.net/feather-loss-with-chickens.php

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/973/feather-loss-in-chickens

Lou Kelly · 21/10/12 - 14:11

Maybe it's the stress of all the unwanted work that's being done to your house atm. It probably wouldn't be happening if they had given more notice

Glowbot · 21/10/12 - 14:13

Sounds like she's getting ready for Sunday lunch for you

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 14:19

Hugh Jboobs wrote: »

Sounds like a fowl problem to have.

A quick Google search reveals these, which may help:

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/chicken-feather-loss.aspx

http://www.downthelane.net/feather-loss-with-chickens.php

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/973/feather-loss-in-chickens

How did I know before I read your post there would be a pun in it.:D

I've had a look on a few sites, but read conflicting information regarding moulting. My friend's uncle is clued up on chickens and owns loads...I think I'll need to get him to look at her.

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 14:28

Lou Kelly wrote: »

Maybe it's the stress of all the unwanted work that's being done to your house atm. It probably wouldn't be happening if they had given more notice

That crossed my mind, the scaffoding's been up next door for a couple of weeks now, and there's quite lot of noise when they're working. Although I don't think the chickens would have understood anyway.:D
The other 4 chickens seem fine though?

Glowbot wrote: »

Sounds like she's getting ready for Sunday lunch for you

No way, I couldn't, although the guy I'm going to ask to look at her has no such problem, he took away our cockerel after it starting being aggressive and he became dinner.:eek:

Hugh Jboobs · 21/10/12 - 14:30

cjsmummy wrote: »

How did I know before I read your post there would be a pun in it.:D

Clucking hell, I was only trying to help. :mad::mad::mad:

Shappy · 21/10/12 - 14:34

Is she ill? I hope not. We used to have chickens when we were growing up in Africa and one of our little chicks (inventively called "Chicky") snuffed it. Traumatic childhood experience.

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 15:08

Are you sure she's moulting and no feather plucking? Stress can turn them to pluck, and is she's brooding but with no result it maybe that? They usually pluck other chickens but ifs alone she just go for her self?

Glowbot · 21/10/12 - 15:08

Have you given her toys and mirrors to play with? I have a parrot and they tell you to do that. Either that or it might be a parasite but don't think of that

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 15:43

I don't know what is causing it, could one of the other chickens be pulling the feathers out? Have you tried adding apple cider vinegar (cloudy stuff from a farm supplies shop) as a tonic? You could also try upping the protein by feeding dried mealworms or dried cat food.

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 15:47

bazaar1 wrote: »

Are you sure she's moulting and no feather plucking? Stress can turn them to pluck, and is she's brooding but with no result it maybe that? They usually pluck other chickens but ifs alone she just go for her self?

I've thought about that too, or possibly the other adult hen was bullying her? Ginger is quite a fiesty thing, she attacks wild birds and I found a dead crow in the run a while back!:eek:

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 15:49

Glowbot wrote: »

Have you given her toys and mirrors to play with? I have a parrot and they tell you to do that. Either that or it might be a parasite but don't think of that

Are you serious?:D

Early Bird · 21/10/12 - 16:04

my hens moult during the summer.... so they look a little dis-shevelled....
but by the time it's gets really cold, they get their feathers back....... however my hens are Ex-Batts..... and are more than grateful for the freedom and space they get.....

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 16:21

cjsmummy wrote: »

I've thought about that too, or possibly the other adult hen was bullying her? Ginger is quite a fiesty thing, she attacks wild birds and I found a dead crow in the run a while back!:eek:

Ah didn't realise you had others, yes it's likely it could be ginger being a bit over zealous with grooming, once they start they get worse and worse. Is it a fairly even molt or patchy (which could suggest feather plucking)?

cjsmummy wrote: »

Are you serious?:D

Yup, they recommend shiny things for chickens too - old CDs are good. But not above eye level (chicken eyes that is

) as anything bearing down from above can be seen as a predator.

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 16:45

Your Housing Association lets you keep chickens? My friend had to beg to keep his parrot.

You may want to get professional advice http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/chicken-feather-loss.aspx

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 16:51

bazaar1 wrote: »

Ah didn't realise you had others, yes it's likely it could be ginger being a bit over zealous with grooming, once they start they get worse and worse. Is it a fairly even molt or patchy (which could suggest feather plucking)?

Yup, they recommend shiny things for chickens too - old CDs are good. But not above eye level (chicken eyes that is ) as anything bearing down from above can be seen as a predator.

Interesting, never heard of that before. Ginger doesn't care about predators, she'd probably annihilate them.:D

She became this way after she hatched the chicks, it was quite amusing to see her charging at wild birds but I did suspect she could be bullying poor Clarissa.:(

So do I put Clarissa (half bald one) or Ginger (fiesty one) in isolation?

stud u like · 21/10/12 - 16:55

Do you put Classic FM on for the chickens?

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 17:09

cjsmummy wrote: »

Interesting, never heard of that before. Ginger doesn't care about predators, she'd probably annihilate them.:D

She became this way after she hatched the chicks, it was quite amusing to see her charging at wild birds but I did suspect she could be bullying poor Clarissa.:(

So do I put Clarissa (half bald one) or Ginger (fiesty one) in isolation?

Isolation might make either or both worse - how many have you got? Can you split them into two groups easily? If not I'd isolate Clarissa (great name) until you can work out if it is ginger or her own doing.

Edit: the cd thing, a girl is doing her masters thesis on it at uni ATM, (she found out about the predator thing by placing them too high!) they love them on the ground, no idea why!

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 17:10

stupidwheelie wrote: »

Your Housing Association lets you keep chickens? My friend had to beg to keep his parrot.

You may want to get professional advice http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/chicken-feather-loss.aspx

Yeah, they know about them, my neighbour had 16 at one point:eek:

I live in a wee quiet place, I imagine if I lived in a busy town or city it wouldn't have been allowed? I dunno:)

I've got someone coming to see her tomorrow, I'll see what they think.

stud u like wrote: »

Do you put Classic FM on for the chickens?

No, why?:eek:

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 17:13

cjsmummy wrote: »

I've thought about that too, or possibly the other adult hen was bullying her? Ginger is quite a fiesty thing, she attacks wild birds and I found a dead crow in the run a while back!:eek:

BIB - I read that as dead cow at first! :eek:

stud u like · 21/10/12 - 17:18

cjsmummy wrote: »

Yeah, they know about them, my neighbour had 16 at one point:eek:

I live in a wee quiet place, I imagine if I lived in a busy town or city it wouldn't have been allowed? I dunno:)

I've got someone coming to see her tomorrow, I'll see what they think.
No, why?:eek:

Many chickens take pleasure in listening to classical music -especially the livelier melodies.

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 17:19

cjsmummy wrote: »

Yeah, they know about them, my neighbour had 16 at one point:eek:

I live in a wee quiet place, I imagine if I lived in a busy town or city it wouldn't have been allowed? I dunno:)

I've got someone coming to see her tomorrow, I'll see what they think.
/QUOTE]

They sound like a reasonable lot. Apart from foxes and bad birdies hovering over ours, we didn't have many health problems so I'm not sure of the feather thing.

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 17:40

stud u like wrote: »

Many chickens take pleasure in listening to classical music -especially the livelier melodies.

Hmm okay, I'll take your word for it:D

cjsmummy · 21/10/12 - 17:47

bazaar1 wrote: »

Isolation might make either or both worse - how many have you got? Can you split them into two groups easily? If not I'd isolate Clarissa (great name) until you can work out if it is ginger or her own doing.

Edit: the cd thing, a girl is doing her masters thesis on it at uni ATM, (she found out about the predator thing by placing them too high!) they love them on the ground, no idea why!

There's Clarrisa and Ginger who are the same age, and 3 youngsters who Ginger hatched via egg donor, lol. The chicks are about 5 months old now.

No idea what to do:(

[Deleted User] · 21/10/12 - 17:56

cjsmummy wrote: »

There's Clarrisa and Ginger who are the same age, and 3 youngsters who Ginger hatched via egg donor, lol. The chicks are about 5 months old now.

No idea what to do:(

I'm not a chicken guru sadly, but perhaps taking Clarissa away for a few days might help? Then you'll at least be able to work out why it's happening?

Hey there!

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