Chicken losing feathers and weight

[ckeene1990]

My Wyandotte chicken Anastasia, has not been as interested in food lately. She is eating, but is not as enthralled as the other chickens. I believe she is losing weight as well. I noticed too that some of her feathers seem to be coming out. Her body is covered in pin feathers. I don't believe they are being pulled out as I have been watching for that.


She shouldn't be molting either as this is her first winter. It is getting below freezing, so l'm concerned about her not being warm.. I have bought some dewormer (Fenbendazole) as a precaution, it comes in on Friday. Anybody have any ideas on what could be happening?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

She is molting. I don’t know why it is widely circulated that chickens don’t go through a molt their first year, but they often do have another juvenile molt around 8 months. What % protein is she on?

 

[ckeene1990]

She is molting. I don’t know why it is widely circulated that chickens don’t go through a molt their first year, but they often do have another juvenile molt around 8 months. What % protein is she on?

She is on 16% layer feed

 

[HollowOfWisps]

She is on 16% layer feed

Put her in 20% protein and offer oyster shells on the side.

 

[ckeene1990]

Put her in 20% protein and offer oyster shells on the side.

I have 4 other chickens that hatched the same day, why would they not be molting? What about the cold, should I be concerned with the cold since she is losing her feathers?

 

[coach723]

Molt can vary greatly, bird to bird, and year to year. Not every one of them will molt the first year, but many do. Their bodies decide when, and we can't do anything about it. Some birds and some breeds mature faster, etc. They can molt any time of year, it's just generally more common in late summer early fall, it's most often triggered by the shortening daylight hours. But some birds seem to have their own internal calendars that don't follow the average. I had one that molted in April every year, her entire life. Some will do it in the dead of winter. Some years they may only do a partial molt, some may skip a molt on occasion. There is a huge range of perfectly normal. If they are healthy, have places to get out of wind, and stay dry, they usually do fine. The higher protein feed will help with feather growth, feathers are mostly protein, and birds in molt or out of lay for other reasons don't need the extra calcium in layer feed when they aren't laying. Many of us feed an all flock type feed rather than layer, that is higher in protein, all the time, and just make sure they have oyster shell available all the time in separate feeders. Those that need it will take it. Giving it this way gives you a much better idea of their actual intake. My flock has all had pretty heavy molts this year and oyster shell consumption has dropped off drastically, almost zero currently. When they are all laying they go through it much, much faster and a lot more of it. When it starts disappearing again, I will start expecting more eggs to start appearing soon.
Unless a bird is acting ill, I would just keep an eye on them during molt. Sometimes it's hard on them, most of the time they do fine.

 

[ckeene1990]

Molt can vary greatly, bird to bird, and year to year. Not every one of them will molt the first year, but many do. Their bodies decide when, and we can't do anything about it. Some birds and some breeds mature faster, etc. They can molt any time of year, it's just generally more common in late summer early fall, it's most often triggered by the shortening daylight hours. But some birds seem to have their own internal calendars that don't follow the average. I had one that molted in April every year, her entire life. Some will do it in the dead of winter. Some years they may only do a partial molt, some may skip a molt on occasion. There is a huge range of perfectly normal. If they are healthy, have places to get out of wind, and stay dry, they usually do fine. The higher protein feed will help with feather growth, feathers are mostly protein, and birds in molt or out of lay for other reasons don't need the extra calcium in layer feed when they aren't laying. Many of us feed an all flock type feed rather than layer, that is higher in protein, all the time, and just make sure they have oyster shell available all the time in separate feeders. Those that need it will take it. Giving it this way gives you a much better idea of their actual intake. My flock has all had pretty heavy molts this year and oyster shell consumption has dropped off drastically, almost zero currently. When they are all laying they go through it much, much faster and a lot more of it. When it starts disappearing again, I will start expecting more eggs to start appearing soon.
Unless a bird is acting ill, I would just keep an eye on them during molt. Sometimes it's hard on them, most of the time they do fine.

I hope you’re right, she is my favorite. I get a little too emotionally invested into the chickens.

 

[coach723]

We all do, at times, we've all had, and lost, favorite and loved birds.

 

[AGeese]

I hope you’re right, she is my favorite. I get a little too emotionally invested into the chickens.

Is there an update? Going through this with my 4-5 month old.