Single hen

[rabbitfluff]

I got my girlies back in July at about 10 weeks old so they're about 10 months old now. I noticed last weekend that the feathers at the base of one of the girl's backs (a black rock) were looking more downy and grey and had lost their greeny-blue/black colour and sheen, then since Wednesday all the feathers in that area have come out leaving a big bald patch about the size of a digestive biscuit (sorry I couldn't think of anything else the right size). There's also a much smaller bald patch on the front of her neck.

 

Is she too young for a moult? And is it the wrong time of year? And if so could it be something nasty?

 

They're all very placid and I've never witnessed her getting pecked by the other girls. I'll worm them this weekend as a precaution, though it's less than 3 months since they were last done and they do get sprinkled with mite powder.

 

Any advice would be appreciated as I'm just a bit concerned in case it's not a moult.

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

[Olly]

No, she's not too young for a moult, and no it's not the wrong time of year. I went up to the run one day last week to find feathers blowing everywhere, and poor Sadie (who is much older than your chicken) looking oven-ready on her back! Within a few days you should see her starting to look like a hedgehog as the new quills start to grow through.