4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[andrewandcarly]

been up to the run today and there seem to be lots of feathers about, mainly small ones and a few large ones. i cant seem to see anyone being picked on and am a little concerned. is it too early for moulting?

ive checked the 4 hens who the feathers match and they seem fine. anyone any ideas? do i need to worry?

[Happybunny]

Interesting, I've noticed the same thing today. I assumed my cockerel had been trying a bit too hard!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I noticed that with Molly when we first got her (in Sept). Then it seemed to stop and she's not lost any since (apart from plucking her tummy bare when she was broody ).

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Hi there

We had exactly that a few weeks ago, especially in the nesting box.

I couldnt see any plucking. Checked birds but couldnt see anything until i picked one up noticing she loked a bit tatty right beneath her breastbone, between her little legs & much to may astonishment she had about a 2" bald strip running down her bone. Checked the 5 others, 2 more had exactly the same. All 3 pepperpots. All took their time when laying that week so think they had a touch of broodiness & were fetahering their nest, or another thought was perhaps the girlies were a bit too plump & were rubbing against their roosting bars . .or maybe a mixture of both.

Theyre still bald in the little strip but nowhere else.?? So i've fed them meal worm, tuna etc for the extra protein & just now waiting to hopefully see them recover.

Pick them up & have a peek right underneatth, hard to find, cant be seen during normal visuals .

 

Hope they're all okay, its awful seeing feathers & wondering where they're from.

 

Ms Tillysfeathersneverruffleexceptwhenfamilyeatherstashofchocolate

[Trapper]

Have to agree, Sounds like they are turning broody, and will pull their own feathers out to line the nest.

 

Put them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to keep heir tempreture down or in a broody box. See other links re broody.