txswanie Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 hi, One of my girls is having a moult. (it's my first moult and I know its natural but it's sort of scaring me) The coop and run look like a pillow fight. Came out today and she had lost all her tail feathers, big bald pink bum. I really didn't expect that. It's all the little feathers that have been falling out and although she looks bedraggled she wasnt bald. She is the only one of my 4 to be moulting, the others are young. Is it normal for the long tail feathers to fall out? Should I just leave the bald patch or put something on it? It doesn't look too red but I am afraid the others will take an interest in it. Thanks Colette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 (edited) Poor little love. I've no idea I've yet to experience moulting, but Sunday came with a baldy bum and covered her modesty with her wings. She's only just got a decent amount of fluff in the last 3 weeks and is just growing a tail so she has something to wag now like the others. It now looks as if she's got fluffy knickers on, bless. The other's didn't worry it. Her bum that is. Edited October 31, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 some of mine are moulting at the moment and the one that had tail feathers (the speckled sussex came to me minus her tail and some of her back feathers at easter) one lost them all in one go the other held on to one or two for a week one has yet to shed them.the sussex has grown new neck feathers and started to grow the missing feathers which was all I thought she'd do this year then last week she started to shed all her fluffy feathers like your run mine looks like a bomb went off in a pillow factory.most say though she shed them fast but she is also regrowing them just as fast one finnised moulting in about 2 weeks one is on her 3rd week one is about a month in already but she is still trying to lay at the same time the sussex I think will be more or less finnished by the end of the week at the latest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Several of my girls are wearing no knickers at the moment. They look quite alarming. They are not earning their keep either. I've recently been using **Net-tex Moulting Solution** and have been very pleased with the results, especially on Claudia, my Speckled Sussex. I'll dig out a couple of pics. Not sure if these products are available in the US, txswanie, though. You could try adding extra protein such as dried meal worms, or rinsed tuna to her diet, and a tonic of some kind to her drinking water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 The tail feathers grow back fine and beautiful and I've not had a chicken attack the others skin. I follow Egluntynes advice. always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Our Violet, is in full moult it's the first time we've seen this and SWMBO is a little fraught. I must say poor Vi looks well rought bald bum and bright pink too. She's been taken to the vets and had an injection, but we're still worried. I suppose its all aquestion of wait and see.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 UPDATE.. freaking out now. I am trying to convince myself this is all natural and it will all turn out ok. Today poor Brigitte looks like a half bald porcupine. Came out this morning and her back had lost all the feathers, leaving those little spiky tubes. It looks painful. Do the new feathers come out of those same tubes or will they also fall out and re grow. It seems stupid to moult in winter when they need the warmth. Trying to give her protein treats but she is so moody and not really interested. thank goodness dogs don't moult like chickens. Colette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 Try not to worry too much. It just sounds like a full on moult. Here are a couple of pics of Claudia, as promised a couple of days ago, to show you the stages. No knickers New growth She is a self harmer and took to pulling out her own new feathers. She looks amazing now, a few months later. I'll try to find an up to date pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 thank you for the pictures, it looks like my girl is just having a natural moult. Those little spikes look horrible. Poor little souls. Thanks for all the answers. I will get the hang of this one day Colette and Brigitte the baldy bum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 As promised (and not wanting to hog your thread, just to put your mind at rest) here is a pic of Claudia taken a couple of weeks ago. Hang on in and your hen will be like this in a couple of months. She hasn't deigned to lay an egg for months but I'm happy for her to be here for just decorative purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 A friend of mine up the road who has 3 hens phoned in a panic at the w/e because 2 of hers had huge bald patches on them (and there were feathers everywhere). She's not a forum member so didn't know what was going on . It was just a major moult. You could see all the new feathers coming through . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 If it's a bit sore for her, you could put some purple spray on her or some sudocreme? Why do they wait till its cold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
