Frizzle feather problems

[Abigail E. Taylor]

When I first got my frizzled silkie polish mix she was beautiful. After about a year she looks awful. Her wing feathers are just pins and she's lost a lot of her other feathers, she's not bald but she's lost her volume. I know she's not a frazzle as the breeder was very knowledgeable about that and gives very strong warnings about not breeding two frizzles together. I keep waiting for her to molt but she hasn't yet. Is there anything I can do for her to insure better feather quality after she finally molts? Or anything I can do now for her?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Do you have photos of her? Sounds like dhe's currently going through a molt.

 

[Abigail E. Taylor]

Do you have photos of her? Sounds like dhe's currently going through a molt.

I'll get pictures soon. She's been like that for several months now. But she hasn't grown back any new feathers

 

[nikevijo]

I had the same thing happen with some of my frizzles. I didn’t think they would ever grow feathers back. It was awful. Their wings were like weapons they were so pointy and sharp. It took a long time but they are back to normal.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I'll get pictures soon. She's been like that for several months now. But she hasn't grown back any new feathers

I've found that frizzles tend to molt a lot harder and take a lot longer. My girl was like that for a long time too.

 

[gimmie birdies]

My avatar's dad always looked terrible. She does too sometimes. Her feathers are on their way back though. She has spent more time ugly than not. below is her currently she is 8. (Her mom was a smooth, not frizzle.)

 

[Abigail E. Taylor]

I've found that frizzles tend to molt a lot harder and take a lot longer. My girl was like that for a long time too.

This is my first frizzle so I haven't had her long enough to know her molt cycles yet. From what everyone is saying Definitely sounds like they can take a long long time. Is there anything I can give her to help with feather condition? or is she just doomed to look awful most of the year lol

 

[Weeg]

I agree with the others, likely having a long hard molt. If it were me, I might try a feather fixer feed, or grub feed. I currently feed Scratch and Peck to support my local feed store, but also bought Kalmbach off of Chewy for a couple months. Kalmbach has a Full Plume feathering feed that I highly recommend. Rose, my backyard mix duck was going through a rough molt further influenced by over mating.
I separated the drakes and switched her to Full Plume feathering feed from Kalmbach, (with added nutritional yeast) and she was back to normal with beautiful feathers in about a week. Not sure if it was separating her from the drakes, or if she was almost through her molt anyway, but I do think it helped. Scratch and Peck also has a Grub layer feed which would be beneficial, but layer probably isn't necessary for a molting hen. Hope this helps and your lady is back to her beautiful self soon!