Feathers not growing back

[Ktewes]

For information and the purpose of sharing.. I'm also in the PNW (at the California/Oregon border).. and know the age of my gold sex link (which is what yours looks like) is 31 months old.. and has NOT had her first molt yet under natural lighting conditions with coop openings pointing north only exception being a small automated popdoor on the east side that allows access to a secure run, all situated under the shade of large Sitka Spruce and Coastal Redwoods. She's also still laying almost everyday. Her flock mates that are the same age but other breeds (EE and Rock) have had or are having their 2nd full molt including not laying.


I feed 20% protein full time with oyster shell available free choice on the side.. none of my birds have ever had issues due to this and if anything they're better off than at lower protein (amino acid) contents.

Thank you for the info! What feed are you giving that’s 20% protein? 31 months and have not done their first full molt? I thought they did it much sooner. I just feel bad that she might be like this the whole winter! So many feathers gone.

 

[Ktewes]

If the entire feather is gone it should start growing back fairly soon. If just a tiny bit of shaft is still there it won't grow back until the molt. Just basic stuff to get out of the way.

Are you sure her buddy isn't plucking the feathers as they start back? From what I see I do not think that is happening but can't rule it out.

Where are you, north or south of the equator? At that age if you are north of the equator she should have molted. South of the equator, not yet. What generally causes the molt is the days getting shorter. What you feed her is not going to affect her molting. Molting is about the feathers falling out so they can regrow. Feed quality is not going to affect them falling out.

Do you have lights on that could be messing her up as far as the days getting shorter. That could be a security light or street light in the vicinity.

I really don’t think her friend is plucking anything out. I have not seen any of that behavior. They do not have any artificial lighting. They have a coop they only use to sleep in and are outside in a pasture the rest of the day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I really don’t think her friend is plucking anything out. I have not seen any of that behavior. They do not have any artificial lighting. They have a coop they only use to sleep in and are outside in a pasture the rest of the day.

I can't explain it, she should have molted by now. No matter what, when you deal with living animals you can always have exceptions to normal. Even with this.

Good luck!

 

[coach723]

Molt is pretty variable, year to year, and bird to bird. Sometimes some birds may only do a partial molt, some may miss molt one year. Reasons may be unknown, part of it is just whatever the birds body says to do. Birds may molt in the dead of winter, December, January, February, sometimes. I used to have one that molted in April every single year, her entire life. There are "averages" that everyone talks about, but they aren't machines, so stuff happens that isn't average sometimes. There is a huge range of actual normal. She may still molt, time will tell. Stress, moving, feed changes, weather changes, all kinds of things can affect them. As long as she seems healthy otherwise, I would just give her some time, feed her well, let her settle, and wait.