Chickens moult during the end of the egg laying season, in the fall. On the other hand, feather loss combined with a swollen bottom that feels like a water balloon can be any number of dire diseases, from cancer to egg impaction. Since that article, we have been pecking around for the main reasons why your chickens are losing feathers except molting. Backyard chickens are pretty easy to care for on any homestead, but just like other animals they can fall ill sometimes. Diets formulated specifically for egg production or me… There can be a number of reasons for chickens losing their vent feathers, however, the first thing I would look out for is cannabilism. Simply click here to return to. Whatever the case, these chickens are more subject to getting cold and special considerations may be needed for their continued good health.Many chicken keepers ask why is my chicken m… You will see some feather loss in diseases such as fowl pox, cutaneous Marek’s, polyomavirus, malnutrition and gangrenous dermatitis. An important part of a chicken’s anatomy, that often becomes an area to watch for illness, is the vent (a.k.a cloaca). Some feather pecking is due to aggression. This chicken foot problem is known as bumblefoot, from the old British word bumble, meaning to walk unsteadily. If your chicken is losing feathers, it may be a completely normal and healthy thing that is happening, but there are some unhealthy circumstances that can cause it as well. She lost all of her butt feathers, which never grew back, I bathed her and used povidone and she moved with less discomfort, and the skin thickened but remained red. But in the nesting boxes, inside the coop, and on the ground are feathers. Abnormal signs in the droppings include: How? Sometimes, you never know why a hen has raw, red, rough skin. Sometimes the rooster favors one hen, so that her saddle (back) feathers get worn off, while all of the other girls look lovely. Mites are nighttime blood suckers, the size of pins. Chickens will lose their feathers for many different reasons, from routine molting to particularly bad parasitic infections. Also, the color red of the irritated skin, especially on their bottoms, lends to pecking. I’ve written about lice here. In the case of Jasper, the hen seen in the photo above, she lets the other hens pick her tail feathers off. (13 Common Reasons & Fixes) Meet the Transylvanian naked neck, also known as the ‘Turken’ for its turkey-like, featherless, bright red neck. On the other hand, feather loss combined with a swollen bottom that feels like a water balloon can be any number of dire diseases, from cancer to egg impaction. Finding a chicken vet can be difficult, and this leaves ... Read More about How Help A Sick Chicken – Q & A With A Chicken Vet It is perfectly normal. We are all uncertain at times, but there are certain criteria you can use to assess if your bird has sick chicken symptoms. You might never catch her in the act, but she’ll peck away at the other hens’ feathers, until, one day, you notice bare spots and possibly blood. I keep the coop clean, clean food and water, no mites. Chickens losing their Feathers? So, chickens molt. There are feathers … Good feathering is a sign of good healthy but can also mask problems such as sudden weight loss, injury or parasites. They look fine, eat regularly and get along well with the other chickens. You might see the lice crawling about. You’ll know if there’s an underlying ailment because the hen will show other symptoms, like an odd, penguin-like walk, tiredness, and a lack of appetite. But, if your hen has irritated, raw, bald areas, especially near the vent, take a closer look for parasites. If there are barely any feathers on the ground, you have a big mouse problem. Here is an explanation of what molting is, what you can do to help your hen, and how long molting will take. Reasons for this common occurrence. Chicken skin, on the other hand, is not pretty. Chickens can be infested with lice, mites and fleas. Most diseases in chickens do not necessarily cause feather loss however the feather loss is because the hen is ill or has poor nutrition. Mites are a blood sucking parasite that cause irritation to chickens. My Chicken losing feathers: A friend's birds have lost all their neck feathers. So in effect it is not a cause but a symptom. How? We have 5 Hens...two have lost their butt feathers but, are still laying eggs...I have heard when this happens they quit laying. At present three birds have been affected. A louse infestation is first seen near the vent. Also take stock of your housing. It can happen overnight, and with deadly consequences. Others just look unkempt. It's easy to do. We feed them organic food. One clue to what is amiss is where the bare spots are. Sometimes, chickens lower in the pecking order bear the brunt of the pecking. Chicken keepers become worried and upset and when see it. The first place to look for abnormal droppings is under the roosts in the morning as hens will void waste during the night. Pin feathers are especially tempting. In either case, it is a good idea to have your Chicken First Aid Kit stocked and ready for action before baby chicks arrive. They have been featherless in that area for at least 3/4 months with no sign they are coming back.Do you have any ideas on what could be happening?....and could or does this effect the eggs, as we do eat them. Is this a normal molt, ... idk if she hurts but her bottom is very red and he back near her tail looks very swollen and red and aggravated ... Our chickens are loosing feathers. Blood is never drawn. So, make sure that they have access to oyster shell and grit. Chickens losing feathers in winter, this is usually closely connected to daytime hours. The top reasons chickens lose feathers are: Molting; Not enough protein; Self-inflicted from stress; Broodiness; Picking by bullies; Mites and lice; Vent gleet; Overmating by roosters . S pring is just around the corner and with many chicken-keepers waiting for delivery of day-old chicks, this a good time to take a look at some of the most common problems that occur in baby chicks. It's easy to do. Have him observe the birds … Molting: Why Your Chickens Are Losing Their Feathers. Mice are the chicken farmers worst enemy! Feather loss can be due to external parasites, typically lice, or sometimes mites. If feather loss is flock-wide, and all of your chickens have lost their feathers, diseases such as parasites or fowl pox could be the cause. Sometimes hens develop scraggly bare patches. Feather picking. Fleas and mites don’t have to … All rights reserved | Website design by Edge Design. I have a Barred Rock who developed what looked like a rash. With so much talk about chicken illnesses this year, it's good to know what a sick chicken looks like, so we can try to help our feathered pets feel better quickly. Molting is a natural process in the life of a chicken but it is not the only reason why your chickens are losing their feathers. My chickens have a super clean environment but here in Alabama it’s been very hot and humid and I think when she molted a few tail feathers an opportunity presented itself for infestation. Shes a 2ish year old Barred Plymouth rock hen. It can happen overnight, and with deadly consequences. Feather picking is a habit chickens can develop. Chickens Go between 12 and 20 times a day. There are many signs and symptoms to watch for when it comes to a chicken’s health and wellness. Chickens may also have a light molt where less feathers are lost. You’ll see dried blood and rawness near the vent. I’ve written about it here. Some hens lose feather near their vent because they have a continual stream for thin diarrhea. Sometimes feather loss is a mystery. My chicken has a red without any feathers. It is a joy to see a colorful, glossy-feathered, fluffy-butted hen. Today the abscess core is sometimes referred to as a bumble. It is not unusual to trace a feathering problem in a backyard flock to inadequate feeding. If there are open wounds, or her skin is so red that the others peck at her, you’ll have to separate her, or get rid of the rooster. Usually you’ll see the bald areas near the vent or at the base of the tail. There are many reasons why your chicken might look bare, and several of them are of no cause for concern. Once hens get into the bad habit of feather picking and eating, it is hard to stop, but possible. I can't imagine what it could be. For more about molting, see this post. Sick chickens can be targets for predators and bullying, so let’s talk about what you should do if you think your chicken is sick. Answer: This is commonly from picking. Jasper is a dominant hen and she could stop this behavior if she wanted to. Molting is controlled by hormones, which are regulated by day length (natural or artificial, or a combination of the two). She has a patch of feathers that have fallen out on her underside. Molting. There can be a number of reasons for chickens losing their vent feathers, however, the first thing I would look out for is cannabilism. It takes a lot of protein and energy to make feathers, and these hens put their resources into egg laying instead. The most common reason Chickens shed their feathers is due to an annual process called molting. (Use disposable gloves when doing this, as it will also stain your skin.) A well balanced poultry feed formulated for appropriate age and type of bird will assure that the flock is receiving the necessary nutrients to maintain feather growth and maintenance. It’s a little disconcerting to open the chicken coop these days; it looks like a chicken has exploded inside. So, it’s important to catch and stop this behavior quickly after you notice it. It can also start because of boredom and crowding. Reduce empty calorie treats like cracked corn and stale bread, provide greens and interesting things to eat like melons and squash. Posted on November 20, 2015 by Deborah Neyens. Support this website – find out how... more >, Two decades ago, if you had asked me what I did for a living, I’d have said food writer. It’s important to treat this behaviour as soon as you notice it, as once one chicken starts to peck feathers, the rest will probably follow suit! My hens were losing their feathers, and it was not a pretty sight. Words: Sue Clarke It’s a neck only a mother could love. Without those additional clues, feather loss is rarely a serious problem. So, if you come into the coop and see feathers strewn around, then check the time. Chickens have red, inflamed bare spots and no feathers on… Chickens have red, inflamed bare spots and no feathers on several areas, mainly bottom end and also on neck. When a hen goes broody, she’ll pull out her breast feathers so that her skin is in contact with the eggs. Once a year, a mature hen molts – all of their feathers fall out and they grow new ones. You can dye the skin with blu-kote (similar to gentian violet in the UK.) If you have a bad-tempered, bare-chested hen sitting in a nesting box, she’s healthy, but broody. It looks a little red and irritated. The only way you will confirm this is to watch them closely at feed time. The molts may be severe as is the case withmy Mabel, a Plymouth Barred Rock, at the moment. Sometimes, everything is fine but there is still feather picking. This is normally closely linked to daylight hours. Chickens change their feathers from old to new during the molting period, once a year. Some hens go through a dramatic molt during which they turn almost naked over night. For a while the skin was hot to the touch and she walked with stiffness. (To learn how to do this, watch my youtube video.) You’ll know if there’s an underlying ailment because the hen will show other symptoms, like an odd, penguin-like walk, tiredness, and a … Why Is My Chicken Losing Feathers? This is usually where a Chicken is at the bottom of the pecking order, new to the flock or just plain being picked upon. A molt occurs when a bird sheds its old feathers and replaces them with new feathers. The process, called molting, usually occurs over a period of weeks during the late summer or early fall. Birds molt at the end of the egg-laying season. This post may include affiliate links; see disclosure at bottom of page. The first step is to darken the afflicted hen’s skin, which reduces the cannibalistic behavior. And it’s a very common reason why chickens lose feathers. Lice have to live on the body, so look for lice at the base of the feathers.