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

[DorianGray]

We have 4 chooks - 2 omlet girls bought in April and 2 from a local breeder in August.

all have been laying daily and still are but . . at least 2 have started to lose feathers on thier tummies / underneath wings.

 

I've had them under the magnifying glass but can't see anything other than dirt.

All have ok poo ( as demonstrated on my shoe and the kitchen table !!

 

Only 2 girls seem to be affected and are still laying. Their legs are ok, they seem happy in themselves are def not off food.

Combs seem as red as ever so don't think they are ill as such . . . ?

 

Is it because the ground has been so wet ( they are under cover on bark and they do like a good squirm) that they are loosing feathers?

 

Any thoughts gratefully received.

[moochoo]

As they're still laying it's more unlikely to be a moult. With the feather loss being in warm places i.e. under their tummies and wings it does make me think of lice or ticks. It wouldn't hurt to give them a dusting of lice powder or diatom.

It's worth just checking their house too. It's unlikely to be red mite in this cold weather but if they're getting a good feed and warm house and you can see nothing on the hen it could be red mites irritating them.

Sorry this is fairly non-specific help. Hopefully someone else can offer their opinion too.

[DorianGray]

Actually Moochoo this is really helpful, thank you!

[Carol U]

Actually, it could be just the start of a moult. Two of mine carried on laying when the feathers first started falling out. They only stopped as the new feathers started to regrow.

Always good to check for parasites though.

[Pinkybijou]

I have one moulting too and she didn't stop laying until the feathers started to grow back. She has black feathers so it was quite obvious as they were strewn all over the garden and in the nestbox. Now her brand new quills are coming through she looks like a grey haired old lady because she has really short white quills with black tips where the feathery bits are going to be! She also had a nice red comb until the new feathers started growing. Has yours lost her fluffy knickers too? That's a sure sign!

 

Kris

[Kit]

Ah I am glad that you posted the same question.

 

Feel much better now that I have read your post Dorian Gray.

 

2 of my hens which I got in Sept are going through exactly the same.

 

Kit