[skerts]

We have two Bluebells, which we think are 26 weeks old.  They have a great house with a run, even though they are let out to run around the garden most of the day. We feed them pellets and corn during the morning, and they have bits of salad during the afternoon, either fed by hand or hung up in their run.  

They haven't laid any eggs yet.  Yesterday, I noticed that one of them has started to go grey around her face.  It's almost as if she has gone old overnight.  I've checked her out and she is moulting aound the neck, which I understand means that she will hopefully start to lay soon.  She's eating okay and still wondering around pecking all day, but it's just this greyness and her comb which is looking dull.  

Can anyone give me any advise please.

[poultrygeist]

Hi skerts. Welcome to the forum.

I've deleted your duplicate post to avoid confusion.  

If her comb is dull, assuming it was redder before, is a sign that she's unwell. They do start off dull red when they're developing but should be a decent colour once formed.

have you checked for red mites in the coop ?
Or lice on her body, especially round the vent ?

I've not heard of the neck feathers moulting as a sign of laying.

Is your other hen completely fine ?

Rob

[skerts]

Thanks Rob.  Their combs never have been red, rather a dull pink, but the other ones comb is getting redder.  I haven't seen any mites and I clean their house out everyday.  Their run has bark on the floor which has only been down these last 3 weeks or so.  

I've been watching and feeding her some lettuce today and she seems fine.  It's just the feathers around her face going grey!!!! It's all so confusing.  

My chicken bible which I refer to is Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham and there is a passage in that which says "The neck moult affects young hens that are just reaching pol. As the name suggests, this s a partial moult, limited to the neck feathers, but it is sufficiently draining on the bird to delay egg production".  As I said mine haven't even started to lay yet.  I think I have barren chickens!!!!!

My other bluebelle is fine. Her comb in getting redder and there are no grey feathers around her face.

[Bodger]

I've never heard of POL hens moulting around the neck being a sign of birds commencing to lay. Infact, its normally the opposite and their feathers tend to be in pristine condition.
Their combs and faces tend to be nice and red as well, both prior and during lay.
The first thing I'd do is check that they havent got a pest burden. By this, I mean an infestation of creepy crawlies that might be sucking their blood.

[poultrygeist]

The dull comb may just be lack of development then  

With our 6, a couple developed at a fair rate, a couple were a week or 2 behind and the other 2 were a couple of weeks behind them. It seems that the dominant one will race ahead and get all the glory !  

Is it possible to get a photo up. I'm trying to imagine the grey feathers. I'm limited in my experience, but someone else may know if it's a problem or normal. Ours are white, so there was no colour change to look for !  

Rob

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds as if it could be red mite in their house.  To test this take a pieceof clean white kitchen towel and wiper it around any areas where red mite may hide like the perch ends and nooks and crannies.  If it comes away red smeared then you have red mite.

[skerts]

Many thanks for all your help.  I have just gone though their house and checked it completely using a white piece of kitchen towel and there are not mites whatsoever.

Here is a picture of the two chickens - the one I am concerned about is on the left.

 (alt+p)

[Aunt Sally]

They are very young definitely less than 26 weeks, which is probably why they are moulting around the neck.  Just getting their final adult plumage.

Is the hen you are concerned about having any breathing problems, rattly sounds at all ?

Is she drinking enough ?

[poultrygeist]

There's a definite grey tinge to the comb, as you say.

It does suggest possible anaemia or some other problem. :?

Rob

[skerts]

Thanks Aunt Sally.  When we got them we were told that they were 18 weeks, but we have been wondering!!!  

There are no rattly sounds.  As soon as I walk outside they both run/half fly across to me and chatter like mad. (asking for food).   Milicent is the one we are concerned about and she has always been the bigger and most greedy of the two.   She looks fat on the photo, but that is just the way she is sitting.  They are not overweight, but I think you are right about their adult plumage.

But, will they ever start laying eggs???

Many, many thanks

[Aunt Sally]

They will start laying eggs at about 22 weeks old, I'd say they've got about another month to go !

I'm trying to find out about her comb,  looks odd.  Someone else may be along soon who may know.

Keep an eye on her for any change in behaviour.  Make sure they have plenty of water and I'd put some poultry vitamin drops in it.

[skerts]

We got the chickens at the end of June and we were told that they were 18 weeks old.  The person we got them from sells houses and chickens here in Norfolk and does very well.  He seems a nice guy and certainly seemed to know his chickens.  When we got them, they weren't small - seemed the normal size for a chicken.  Their combs were always a dull colour, but it seems as they are getting older Celia's is getting more red, but Milicent's is staying the same.  If they were 18 weeks that makes them nearly 27 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!  But as you say they seem a lot younger.

The guy who sold them to us did say that they would normally lay at 22 weeks, but would probably take a little longer, because of the disturbance of the move.

The white on Milicent's face has only been noticable this last day or so.

Many thanks all.

[skerts]

Oh yes, sorry.  They always have fresh water and are drinking on and off all day.  I make sure of that.  I do look after my animals.  3 cats included.

[Aunt Sally]

Oh yes, sorry.  They always have fresh water and are drinking on and off all day.  I make sure of that.  I do look after my animals.  3 cats included.

I'm sure you do and I was not trying to infer otherwise. But lack of drinking in hot weather can cause a blue comb.  Keep an eye on her to see that he is drinking as much as the other hen.

[skerts]

Sorry Aunt Sally.  If that came out snotty.  It wasn't meant to.  I just want you to know that I am a big animal lover and that I appreciate all the help that this forum is giving me.    I have always had cats, but this is the first time for chickens and before we got them, I read and read all I could about them.  Thanks again.