Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: bajmoe on September 15, 2014, 19:47
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Over the last two days my girls (11 months old ) have lost there feathers from their bottoms, i've been watching them and not witnessed any feather pecking, they all seem happy and there's no loss of appetite, egg laying is daily, no discharge from the vent, stools seem ok , no loss of weight, most of the problems associated with vent gleet are not present.
So what's happening ?
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They are probably molting.
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I have had hens lose feathers exactly like that when they were in full lay - then when they stopped laying for the winter they grew again. Or as BraveMurphy said they could be going into a moult. Have you checked to ensure they are not carrying any pests.
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I have checked there's no sign of mites or parasites, as for them moulting I didn't think they moulted in their first year!
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I have checked there's no sign of mites or parasites, as for them moulting I didn't think they moulted in their first year!
They can moult in their first year or it could just be as I said - some hens lose feathers from their bottoms when they are laying and they will grow back when they stop laying for the winter. Though some hens also lay through the winter in their first year. If they are healthy, eating, not being pecked by other hens I would not worry too much. Just keep an eye on them though - sometimes other hens will peck at the bare bottoms and then you need to use purple spray on them.
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I had this problem (exactly the same as yours) with one of my Black Rocks last year - she was my best layer - and very often you will get very good layers who show this sort of feather loss. After a moult all feathers came back beautifully.
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I think the photo on,the left shows some new feathers growing - they look like spines - if that's the case, then they probably are moulting. As long as there is no pecking, then I wouldn't worry, although, if you were planning to show your hens, you're unlikely to win. :D
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I had this problem (exactly the same as yours) with one of my Black Rocks last year - she was my best layer - and very often you will get very good layers who show this sort of feather loss. After a moult all feathers came back beautifully.
Let's hope it just that, all my girls are good layers thy give me an egg every day, which i'm a bit supposed at :)
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I think the photo on,the left shows some new feathers growing - they look like spines - if that's the case, then they probably are moulting. As long as there is no pecking, then I wouldn't worry, although, if you were planning to show your hens, you're unlikely to win. :D
Been watching my hens closely over the last couple of days, and have seen one of my girls feather pecking the bald one a couple of times, they have now all been sprayed with anti pecking spray, don't see any feathers lying anywhere though.
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They will eat the feathers for protein