Chicken's Feathers Won't Grow Back

[andyrose77]

Hi everyone! I have a Golden Sex Link who lost feathers on her head and neck at the end of last winter. We thought it was maybe her first molt (she was about 1 yr old at the time), but as our other 4 chickens have gone through their first molt this year they've followed a very typical molting pattern based on what I've read online, and all of them have regrown their feathers and down in preparation for winter. But it's been about 8 months since this bird lost her feathers, and her neck and top of head are still very bare. I feed them 20% layer feed and I give them worms as a snack every day. She eats well, drinks well, and behaves normally like the other chickens. As an extra precaution I've treated for mites, but that didn't seem to do anything. She's at or near the bottom of the pecking order, but our chickens are generally pretty happy and I've never witnessed extreme bullying or feather picking, just a peck here or there over food.

My main concern is if she'll be okay this winter. Night-time temps are 10-20 degrees right now, with even colder temperatures in months to come. She is my absolutely favorite bird out of all of them and I'm hoping someone might know what's going on! And if anyone can reassure if she'll make it okay through the winter or if there is any extra care we need to give her...I'm nervous about frostbite or other health concerns without those feathers helping keep her warm. We're first-time chicken owners, so this is all new to us.

Here are some pictures I took of her a few days ago.

Thank you in advance! I love this group and have learned so much from the threads here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's at or near the bottom of the pecking order, but our chickens are generally pretty happy and I've never witnessed extreme bullying or feather picking, just a peck here or there over food.

Do you have a rooster or roosters?

What did you use to treat lice/mites?

Have you put BluKote or an Anti-Pick on her? If not, she has some purplish brusing from being picked.

Feather loss shows typical signs of feathers being picked/plucked and broken.
Head feathers are gone, this can be due to picking and/or mating. The comb has scabs consistent with picking.
Feathers are stripped, which would indicate picking and/ or excessive preening.

Observe to see which hens are picking at her and put some pinless peepers on them. Provide more space within the coop or run. Provide perches and hiding places for the hen to take breaks from the other birds.

The feathers are broken and the feather shafts are still intact in the skin. These will not be replaced until she goes through a full molt. She does have a few pin feathers coming in on the back of her neck. Perhaps the other birds are picking new growth and eating them.
Aim for feeding the flock at least 18% protein feed or give them treats of protein rich food like egg, fish or meat a few times a week to give them a boost.

Most hens can manage those temperatures as long as they have a dry protected area out of the wind/rain/snow.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like others are pecking her feathers out. Is there any overcrowding? It would be good to protect her from the others, and give some extra protein. Egg, rinsed tuna, and her 20% feed would be good. Do you have a dog crate with food and water where she could spend time close to them, but protected?

 

[Seaslug]

Wow, she looks rough, poor thing. I agree, she looks pecked. She could also be rubbing some of those feathers on the fence, trying to get away from those giving unwanted attention? If you can, I wonder if it might soothe her skin to rub a bit of oil on it?

 

[andyrose77]

Do you have a rooster or roosters?

What did you use to treat lice/mites?

Have you put BluKote or an Anti-Pick on her? If not, she has some purplish brusing from being picked.

Feather loss shows typical signs of feathers being picked/plucked and broken.
Head feathers are gone, this can be due to picking and/or mating. The comb has scabs consistent with picking.
Feathers are stripped, which would indicate picking and/ or excessive preening.

Observe to see which hens are picking at her and put some pinless peepers on them. Provide more space within the coop or run. Provide perches and hiding places for the hen to take breaks from the other birds.

The feathers are broken and the feather shafts are still intact in the skin. These will not be replaced until she goes through a full molt. She does have a few pin feathers coming in on the back of her neck. Perhaps the other birds are picking new growth and eating them.
Aim for feeding the flock at least 18% protein feed or give them treats of protein rich food like egg, fish or meat a few times a week to give them a boost.

Most hens can manage those temperatures as long as they have a dry protected area out of the wind/rain/snow.
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Thank you SO much for responding so promptly and with such detail. We don't have a rooster, and based on other responses it sounds unanimous that it's obviously a pecking issue. I feel a little foolish that it wasn't so clear to me.

I've already begun implementing your recommendations and I feel hopeful that we will get it resolved. Thank you for taking the time to educate me on this!

 

[andyrose77]

She looks like others are pecking her feathers out. Is there any overcrowding? It would be good to protect her from the others, and give some extra protein. Egg, rinsed tuna, and her 20% feed would be good. Do you have a dog crate with food and water where she could spend time close to them, but protected?

I don't have a dog crate yet, but I've debated getting one before and I like the idea a lot. So just making sure I understand how to implement the crate...I'm assuming you put the crate in the run, and then do you put in the hen inside the locked crate for a period of time each day? Or you just leave the crate in there open for her to come and go as she (or any other chicken) needs it?

I don't think it's an overcrowding issue? We have just the 5 hens, and my husband said that when he built the coop/run that he gave them more sq footage per bird than what was recommended online. But I don't know the exact size of it off the top of my head, so I don't have specific info there. I've wondered if it might be more of a boredom issue...truthfully we haven't done much regarding chicken toys/perches/etc., so we're planning on adding those kinds of things to potentially help as well.

 

[andyrose77]

Wow, she looks rough, poor thing. I agree, she looks pecked. She could also be rubbing some of those feathers on the fence, trying to get away from those giving unwanted attention? If you can, I wonder if it might soothe her skin to rub a bit of oil on it?

Thank you for validating the pecking concern! The unanimous response is really helpful and I feel hopeful that we can get it resolved. I'll look into ways to sooth her poor skin in the meantime.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you SO much for responding so promptly and with such detail. We don't have a rooster, and based on other responses it sounds unanimous that it's obviously a pecking issue. I feel a little foolish that it wasn't so clear to me.

I've already begun implementing your recommendations and I feel hopeful that we will get it resolved. Thank you for taking the time to educate me on this!

Picking can be subtle and often you may not see the hens picking at another. Sometimes picking is done while roosting by hens on either side of the "victim".