pinkpixie Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 We have four hybrids, had them about 5 months, they are laying well, and we get 4 eggs most days. Our White Star (aptly named Titanic) was the first to look a bit bald, but now they all do. We have a Speckledy, Columbine and Goldline as well. Feather loss is particularly bad at the vents, where the back meets the tail and under the wings. Tail feathers also look thin. In places there are no feathers whatsoever and the skin looks red (and I'd say sore, but I'm no expert.). I initially thought it was mites so I've been using treatment (I tried a powder but I hated that, so now I have a spray) and I've been religiously cleaning the coop with it in all the nooks and crannies. It's not getting any better though. Now I'm wondering if they're doing it to each other. I would have expected only one of them would have been 'hen pecked' rather than all four of them but I have seen them pecking at each other too. Egg production is consistent, they are eating well (layers pellets mainly) and seem happy. They have a large run and are very energetic running up and down it. I've ordered some mealworms to help them with protein to help regrow feathers... I don't have any concerns for their health, but they do look awful. Is it the moult? Pecking each other? Mites after all? I don't know what to think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 I read your title and thought .... "Hmmmm; moulting" as it's the season, but the feather loss pattern that you describe is typical of sites where chooks get pecked - top of head and base of tail, also around the vent - it could be a combination of both issues. It is REALLY important to put a stop to this - bullying can be caused by any number of reasons, the most common being lack of space, too few feeders for number of birds, or lice/worms making them tetchy. If allowed to escalate, it will end in cannibalism as they start to draw blood. Is there one hen with a full set of feathers? Have you observed one bird pecking more than the others? If you can't identify a specific bully, I would sort the other environmental issues (above) and check them all for lice/mites. Worm them too with Flubenvet, and then pop a bumpa bit on each bird to stop the habit before it gets worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkpixie Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Thank you. One of them has blood on its back today. So points towards them doing it to each other...? They have lots of room and plenty of food. None of them have all their feathers although one is more affected and one has more feathers than the others. No obvious bully... Thank you for replying, it’s much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 The one with more feathers might be the bully, but it would be best to pp bits on all of them, especially now that blood has been drawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
