Help! Is this molting.... oh my.....

[Smithyard Farm]

My hen Oreo is losing all her feathers......

We were away on vacation for two weeks, and trhis mornign was the first time I got to play with the chickies.... She looks like she has gone thru a war!!


Her bottom is almost completely gone

Her sides, and under her wings are gone




I checked her out and don't see any buggies... what is causing this? Her feathers literally came off in my hand as was looking at her.

She will be two in February Is this just molting or do I need to be concerned.......???

 

[SmallFlocker207]

yes she is molting. funny thing is my chickens are molting to.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Looks like molting. Poor thing molts so bad she went bald! And in winter!

 

[Smithyard Farm]

should i be concerned about the cold??

 

[SmallFlocker207]

i would suggest you keep that hen warm! she will surely die within a week

 

[sparrker]

Mine are doing fine in this cold and they have less feathers than your. They should not die without heat. As long as their use to no heat don't worry.

 

[Ridersutton]

My hen is doing the same thing, only she is losing hers mostly around her neck. She is last to come out of the coop every morning when I let them out, and she seems to just be moving, in general, much slower... Is that just because she's cold from the molting...?

 

[theoldchick]

When our chickens go through a heavy molt they look like they've been struck by lightning. Goodness! They change every day and look bad enough to run off Frankenrooster.
















Just be sure she gets a varied diet with good quality of digestible protein. If you are in extreme cold she'll need protection from the wind. Won't hurt to bring her and a buddy inside, however, once they return to the flock (4-6 weeks) you'll have to deal with reintroducing her and her buddy back into the flock.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

i would suggest you keep that hen warm! she will surely die within a week

What this BYCer means is, if you don't keep her warm, she will die within a week from the cold. Just explaining that a little better, no offense meant. Also, that really is just an opinion.

 

[BantamWhisperer]

She should be fine from the cold! no worries!

My EE does the same thing! She looks like an NN sometimes !