Hen losing feathers

[Bluefinch]

Just notice that one of my hens has a bare strip from her crop down along her tummy. Otherwise she seems fine. Not sure what this means.

[Mo]

How long have you had her? (Is she a newcomer being pecked?)

I suppose it could be feather plucking by other hens (peck order or eating the feathers due to a lack in nutrition), or herself. I would have thought a moult wouldn't leave a strip like that, I've seen it going the other way - head then lower in bands.
Or possibly rubbing against something when roosting but I don't really think that either.

Watch and see if you can spot anything.

[kitla]

Could well be going broody. They pull out the feathers underneath to help control the temperature & humidity of the eggs. Has she been more hungry than usual or maybe a bit more snappy or clucky than usual? Another sign is finding feathers in the nestbox.

[Bluefinch]

Thanks for your replies. I have had her nearly a year but I have introduced another hen recently and I have noticed that Willow (who is losing feathers) seems to have become the bottom of the pecking order and never pecks back. She also prefers to eat her breakfast apart from the other two. I will keep an eye on her although she seems perfectly healthy otherwise.

Yesterday one of them laid what looked like just a yoke with a skin but don't know which one it was.

[KarenE]

Hi

How old is she? Could she be starting to moult?

Maybe a bit of stress going on as well, with a new hen coming along and her being pushed down the pecking order.

If she's not moulting, being picked on or going broody, have you checked her over for lice or mites?

[Bluefinch]

Thanks Karen. I will check her today - how will I recognise lice and would mites be in the coop?

[KarenE]

Mites esp red mites would be in the coop - they come out at night to feed on the hens. Nasty little things. Prevention is better than cure in their case, so treat the coop regularly with DE and a disinfectant like SMITE or similar. If there are mites, you won't see them on the chickens but if you rub a white tissue along the ends of perches and such (they live in cracks and such especially in wood) and it leaves red smears or marks that's probably mites. It's a bit early for mites but the mild winter and warm spring may bring them out early. If you do see lice, a drop of frontline for cats will clear them up no problem, or even better you could get some harpermectin (better as frontline isn't licensed for chickens but does work) and DE the coop and nestboxes too

Lice live externally on the chickens. They are tiny, brown coloured things that will be on the base of feathers - you may be able to see them as they move away, and you may be able to see eggs laid on the feather base as well.

This site has some pics and other info if you fancy a gross read: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/0 ... ation.html

I would be tempted to say it's stress from the pecking order, and perhaps she's heading for a moult, as that is some of the classic behaviour (losing feathers, staying away from others, looking under the weather). How is she today?

[sandy]

How is your girl? Karen that is very interesting what they say about DE

[Bluefinch]

Thanks for all the info Karen. She is fine in herself but will check for mites and lice today. She is about 14 months old. Not sure at what age they start to moult.

She definitely likes to eat on her own in the morning but then joins the other two for a walk round the garden.