Easter Eggers. Stress molt? Help.

[And now we have chickens]

No lice, mites, etc... it's not feather pecking/bullying. No rooster. Two of our four girls have slowly been losing their down feathers for the past week and a half. Then yesterday and today, the feathers on their heads are disappearing fast. We are in North Central Washington and the Temps have just recently plummeted into the teens at night regularly. Their coop has gotten down to 29°f a few nights. Should I bring them into the garage(46°) at night now that they have lost so many feathers and have bald heads? This is their first winter as they are only 10 months. They are eating and acting normal other than not laying. They other two girls are totally fine and giving us eggs daily still. Any advice or information would be super helpful and appreciated. Thanks.

 

[sourland]

Can you post pictures? It sure sounds like grooming behavior that has escalated to feather pecking/plucking.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes they will pick out each others feathers while on the roost or just sitting or walking around. Do you have pictures? Are you seeing any feathers inside the coop?

 

[And now we have chickens]

Can you post pictures? It sure sounds like grooming behavior that has escalated to feather pecking/plucking.

Sometimes they will pick out each others feathers while on the roost or just sitting or walking around. Do you have pictures? Are you seeing any feathers inside the coop?

Yes, a crazy amount of feathers over the past week. They all got inspected yesterday only the two girls in the pictures are showing any signs of feather loss. One girl under her wings and chest, the other girl on her legs. Both have new feathers growing in those places. Yesterday and today both girls on their faces around combs.

 

[StinkyAcres]

What is the protein percentage of their feed and are they free-fed? How many chickens and how big is the coop?
Those temps shouldn't be a big problem - I'm more concerned by the fact that the coop is much warmer than outside. How much ventilation is there?

 

[And now we have chickens]

What is the protein percentage of their feed and are they free-fed? How many chickens and how big is the coop?
Those temps shouldn't be a big problem - I'm more concerned by the fact that the coop is much warmer than outside. How much ventilation is there?

5’w x 4’t x 3’d coop ventilated three sides, 3.5’ roosting bar. naturewise layer feed 16% also 5 grain scratch as well as soldier worms. And alfalfa flakes, vegetable and fruit scraps… food readily available

 

[And now we have chickens]

What is the protein percentage of their feed and are they free-fed? How many chickens and how big is the coop?
Those temps shouldn't be a big problem - I'm more concerned by the fact that the coop is much warmer than outside. How much ventilation is there?

The temp gauge in the coop is typically about 15 degrees or so warmer than outside at bedtime about 10 degrees or less in the morning.

 

[nuthatched]

5’w x 4’t x 3’d coop ventilated three sides, 3.5’ roosting bar. naturewise layer feed 16% also 5 grain scratch as well as soldier worms. And alfalfa flakes, vegetable and fruit scraps l..,

Get some high protein feed, 18%-20% .
Cut out all the extras, no worms, no scraps, no alfalfa etc.
16% is the absolute minimum of protein they can eat and still live and lay, it's be diluted by the extras.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Get some high protein feed, 18%-20% .
Cut out all the extras, no worms, no scraps, no alfalfa etc.
16% is the absolute minimum of protein they can eat and still live and lay, it's be diluted by the extras.

@nuthatched, do you think the chickens are feather picking each other because they are not getting enough protein in their diet?

 

[And now we have chickens]

The question remains, do I bring them into the garage as it’s going to be in the low teens at night? I don’t want them to get frostbite without the feathers around their combs. Also, is this molting?