Chicken bald back

[PickleHen]

It has been seven months since we rehired and I have to say every day I am rewarded with something amusing from our hens. Being new to hen keeping this has been an adventure for us as much as the feathered ladies!

 

The hens regrew their beautiful feathers and excluding one pecking incident where the pecking order was still in question, they have not gone through a period of moulting.

 

Over the last few weeks one lady has lost quite a lot of feathers from her chest and crop area and they are genuinely lost and not broken or stollen by the others. The other two don't seem to be losing but growing more soft feather that sit awkwardly between the established feathers. One of the girls is having run of laying us soft eggs though I am yet to determine who. In general they all seem to be in good health and enjoying the Spring weather.

 

Could it be that the girls are going through a semi moult/ new feather phase?

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Sarah

[mimi5]

Well often just feather loss in the breast/crop area indicates a "broody" hen. While it is rare in hybrids, just go to hatching and raising chicks and a rescue hen has been broody and has just hatched!!!

 

Is she spending my time in the nest box? Are there feathers in the nest box? Is she more aggressive/changed demeanor and fluffed up?

 

Or could you have a bully/feather eater/plucker??? I guess just keep an eye out. If they seem well and are laying well.....something and nothing

[PickleHen]

Thank you for your valued thoughts.

 

I do think she has been nesting more often recently so this may be indeed the reason for the feather loss, but there isn't many feathers in the eglu or run so it could just as much be the case that a hen is gobbling them up!

 

I will keep a closer eye in them over the next few days, but like you said if they seem happy I shouldn't probably worry about their scruffy looking kit.

[mimi5]

It's a good idea to keep an eye on them as poor condition can be an indicactor of something underlying. But if they all look a bit shabby, given a few weeks and prehaps a good tonic they should feather up