Spinning Top Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 After several years of buying girls at POL we took the plunge with 4 ladies from the BHWT last week. They have their own run and it's amazed me how well they have settled and are bouncing back to health. I had expected them to be fairly bald but had not reckoned on their wing feathers having the thick quill/shaft but no edge bits (are they called vanes?). What's that about? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Possibly nibbled or just rubbed away by the jostling in the tiny cage. 13 per square metre is a bit of a squeeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Very common in ex-cage birds; caused as Beantree has said above, and the constant egg production means that they don't have enough protein reserves to replace the feathers. Add some Biotin (equine horse feed stores) to their pellets, drizzling some cod liver oil on first to make it stick. Scrambled eggs are also high in Biotin, which is a key ingredient in feathers making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinning Top Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Thanks ever so much both of you. I've been making them scrambled eggs but they're not too keen, even with a few mealworms added. Grass is sooooo exciting! Thought I might try tuna today....? (I got a tin in spring water rather than salted). Have also got some cod liver oil so it seems I'm basically on the right track. I haven't heard of Biotin but I'm giving them poultry spice. Is that as good or should I switch to Biotin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Poultry spice is a general conditioner and is fine, but Biotin is specifically for feather growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinning Top Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Thanks Dogmother. It's on the shopping list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 It's quite normal, all my ex batts have had this. Nothing will happen until they moult them out and grow beautiful new feathers. Tonics and other lovely bits and bobs will help improve their general condition in the meantime so they won't struggle so much when they do moult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 My old rescued hens had this as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pottage Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Two of my rescue girls are nuddy on their wings too, my husband is convinced they are never going to grow back! My girls won't take *anything* I've read on here that chickens are meant to love. They do, however, love live meal worms and crickets I make the man in the petshop double bag the tubs they come in and tie a tight knot in the top of the bags before I walk back to the car carrying them with my arm stretched out so they are as far as me as possible! Why can my girls like regular trteat like yogurt and tuna like everyone elses seem to? As disgusting as this "live" food is (although the girls are great fun to watch eating it!), I've noticed that the little fluffy feathers like the ones on the tops of their heads are starting to grow back really quickly now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
