Mrs

[Tiggy]

a year ago Saffy started moulting, seemed OK , grew most of them back but still had some bald patches.but a year on she has hardly any feathers again from vent to chest bald under wings hardly any tail feathers, she looks as if she has just come out of a battery. but is eating & lively & laying, Ive tried treating her for mites & ticks & cant see any, did see Patsy pecking at her so have started with anti peck spray, could the others have been pecking at her all this time & done this? or should i take to a vet?

[lou01]

Hi,Im afraid i dont have an answer,but Ive got the same problem,been going on for about 9 months now.I have also tried everything...except taking my hen to the vets,shes quite a skittish nervous hen and i think a trip to the vets would give her a heart attack !

someone out there help please

[sandyhas3chucks]

I had an exbat not feather up, turned out she had an infection she was fighting, i had already sent poo samples off to retfords when she became obviously ill, it too about 3 weeks of first one antibiotic, then another to sort her. then she grew to be so beautiful!

[ejaym39]

Hi

 

Not sure this will help at all but I have a lady who has been bald for ages. Eating, drinking and not too far down the pecking order to be bullied. Never saw the others peck her at all and I too worried that she had some strange complaint or illness. On a huntch I eventually brought some of the anti pecking spray to see if it would help. I have been using it for the past month and she now has a fresh new growth of feathers coming through. Your birds may have something else going on but it must be worth a try just to see if the others are pecking the feathers out.

[MedusA]

Thyme, one of my ex-batts, has never feathered up and looks a right state, but she seems fit enough and eats like a horse. I have tried various tonics in her feed, but no joy. She probably has a few more feathers than when she arrived, but her bottom and chest are still completely bald and bright red.

 

She is at the end of her laying career and lays mostly thin-shelled or shell-less eggs, but we love her anyway. The other 3 ex-batts all feathered up beautifully, so it is just her. I am hoping if she has a major moult she may do a better job of refeathering, but I have my doubts.

[the bradley bunch]

has anyone tried changing food? - Allen & Page ex-bat layers crumb/pellets has worked a treat for my bald ex-bats. apparently it's especially developed to help feather growth

 

i also think from other people's stories that trying anti-pecking spray is worth a go. some chickens do peck out their own feathers for various reasons, so even if they're high in the pecking order this could still be the cause of the problem.

 

i think it's worthwhile trying the food change & the anti-pecking spray - and if there's still no joy then i think i'd take mine to vets, or send in a sample if the chicken is skittish.

don't try both things at once tho because you'll end up not knowing which one has worked!

 

hope all of your girlies are looking beautiful & full feathered in no time

[Tiggy]

we seem to have a minor result Saffy has some new fluffy feathers growing on her bald bottom & new quills coming through on her body, the anti peck spray seems to have stopped the others pecking at her. Ive been giving her a little cat food (saw something on here about them needing extra protein after a moult) and Ive wormed them all just in case, with Flubavent. I also took the eglu apart & got the pressure washer on it then my steam cleaner, lots of datom in the nesting material (no mites I can see) but after that they'd not stand a chance So hopefully my lovely Saffy will be returned to her former glory soon

[the bradley bunch]

that's great to hear tiggy

hope things continue to go so well & saffy looks amazing in no time!