Part 0800.0005

[thebdj]

Hello.

 

I have a Dark Brahma who seems to be absolutely healthy and fine but she is getting balder by the day with no apparent signs of recovery!

 

She lost pretty much all of her head and neck feathers at about Christmas time and these have never grown back. Over the last 4 weeks she has lost all of her feathers down her front, across her breast area and completely now underneath her as well. She seems to be fine on the sides, back, bottom and wings at the moment.

 

I am aware of Chickens moulting but this seems like a rather special case. She is definitely not bullied or pecked and other than the cockerel, is just about the top lady in the run. In fact she often tells the cockerel what to do with his filthy tendencies!

 

She continues to lay and seems just like a happy healthy chicken.

 

Is she suffering from something that I should be worried about? Alternatively is she suffering from something I needn't worry about? Will she be bald forever and will she keep moulting until she is totally bald? Should I look to grandma to knit her a sweater yet?

 

Cheers

Justin

[Egluntyne]

Are you sure that you haven't got a feather pecker in your flock?

[thebdj]

Obviously it would be foolish of me to say absolutely not because I work during the day and cannot have a constant watch on them. However, when I do get to spend time with the girls in the evening or at weekends, I have NEVER, not even on one single occasion seen any of the other girls peck at any of her feathers.

 

I suppose the way to prove this is to isolate her for a period of time but I am somewhat loathed to do that. She seems so happy otherwise and how on earth long would I have to sideline her to grow her feathers back if this is the case? Would it be worth using some of that 'anti-peck deterrent' as a precaution.

 

Still fairly confident it is not pecking but I am not an expert and you are

[Egluntyne]

I thought the same, but caught my Light Sussex red handed ripping my Speckled Sussex to shreds. Now that the LS is in the slammer, the SS is sprouting tiny feathers again, in the space of about 10 days.

 

The SS was bumperbitted too.

[Helen hen]

Hello,

 

I think the same situation as you have described has happened to one of my hens too. SHe seemd ok at first but today she stayd in the nest box all day. I brought her inside in the warm and think I might ned to take her to the vets. She is totally bald o the bum and underneath. I have checked fr lice and mites and I don't think ther are any. Again I'm sure they're not pecking her - I am a teacher and had 2 weeks over Easter - mostly spent witht he chooks and I didn't see anything.

 

Have you had any other ideas?

Hx

[staceychristie]

Our BOSS has always had a baldy bum. Only 1 feather (looks like someones darted her). No one would take her on, and she doesn't peck at her own feathers. She's the only baldy.

 

Stacey

[Seagazer]

I have a chicken that sounds almost exactly the same as yours. She does go broody and I have seen her plucking at her own feathers. But I am also treating her for depluming mite as well at the moment just in case. She has been without feathers down her neck and underbelly for about 6 months now. The treatment hasn't worked yet but I'm going to try it again at the weekend. On recommendations here I am using Flowers of Sulphur in some cream applied to the bare bits of the chicken. If its warm enough at the weekend I may well put it in water and give her a bath so it covers all of her feathers.

 

Other than that I am at a complete loss, mine is about 2 and a bit years old and has never moulted.

[hippy chick]

One of my hens is quite bald and bright red. she has no feathers left on her belly, or the top of her head. She also looks quite irritated on her wings. I cant see mites but i probably dont know what to look for.