My chickens are loosing their feathers

[Farmer In Training]

ugh.. okay. So we have around 35 to 40 chickens, in three seperate coops. In one of the coops, (we call it the mixed breed coop) we have mixed breeds with 20 chickens in there and two roosters. (The roosters never really fight. ) Recently, the chickens are loosing their feathers and it is not molting. They look really beat up, even though they live in a nice coop with fresh water and food. I don’t understand. It started with just one chicken, but now all of them have bad bald spots and it’s just sad. We have tried giving them food with higher nutrition, and nothing. What do you think is wrong with them? Has this ever happened to anyone before?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Why are you saying it is not a molt?

 

[PirateGirl]

Also if the feather loss is caused by something other than molt, even once you solve the problem the new feathers might not grow in until they next molt, so they could look shabby for awhile.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Why are you saying it is not a molt?

X2

 

[KittyC]

Did you ever figure out what was going on? I am having the same problem with my chickens.

 

[Silkielove102]

I know you said it's not molt, but I think its.

 

[analyticalblonde]

My girls went through a semi-molt...looked horrible. Are they eating/drinking normally? Egg production should be low to nil. My girls went through their semi-molt in sequence...one, then another, then another...like they looked at each other and thought, "Hey, she's losing her feathers so I should too!" By the next few weeks (2 I believe), they all looked dreadful. Now, after several weeks, they are looking much better. How old are your girls?