Novice owner. Chicken losing feathers, recently started acting funny too.

[Halo3RIP]

Hello, I'm very thankful there is a community for something like this.

I am relatively new to chickens. My flock is 3 laying hens.

My oldest is sick. She was my first chicken as we found her abandoned in the Australian bush. We took her to the vet when we first decided to adopt her. He said she looked fine and was about 2 or 3 years old. I'm not sure her breed, but she's more orange than my red laying hens.

When I first found her she had a thinning on her front chest which eventually became bald and red which we thought was because she was broody. We found mites on the chickens about 6 months ago which we treated for. Have had no evidence of them reoccuring.

She has slowly been losing more and more feathers since we adopted her, and this last 2 weeks is even more exponential.

I have treated for mites again today, but have not found evidence of any around the coop or on any of the chickens. Did it anyway to be safe.

She has less activity, just standing around or sitting down while the others forage. Sometimes her balance seems off, but she might just look like she's walking funny because her feathers are gone.

I have attached photos. She has just been coated with some poultry dust for mites in the photos in case you're wondering why she's pale. Her balding is literally everywhere, even behind her head. There is no redness except her chest, but it looks like the roots of the feathers are still there? I thought she was just molting but now that her behaviour is different I'm not sure.

She was the first on the pecking order before she lost so many feathers. All the chickens seem to get along, and I don't see them fight or pick at each other. We have no rooster.

The chickens are fed a laying mix with 16% protein as well as some scratch mix for a treat. They have a large run with lots of good dirt to forage. 10m2 not including the coop. It is currently autumn where I am.

Any help would be appreciated. If she's sick with something that is not mites, I'd like to know how to treat her or if I need to euthanize her to not spread to the other birds. Very sad.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Ribh]

Apart from the redness on her chest the feather loss looks like a heavy moult to me. It's the time of year for moulting.

I'm not sure where in Oz you are but if you've had a lot of rain I'd check for coccidia ~ Amprolium as a preventative in their water is what is usually recommended. You may need a cream from your vet for the chest rash. S/he can check for coccidea too.

Extra protein in the form of canned fish is used for moulters who are having a hard time of it. Some extra nutrients wouldn't go astray either to help boost her immunity. Your local produce store should carry those. Amprolium you can get on~line or from your vet. Your produce store might carry it but I don't usually have much luck getting Amprolium from them.

 

[Halo3RIP]

Thank you! I've ordered the Amprolium now. It hasn't rained much but they often step in their water dish and sometimes other neighbourhood birds will hang out in their run so maybe it's come from somewhere else.

I'll add extra protein and see how we go.

Do you know if those large rolls of dog food would also work? It's a bit cheaper than cat food where I am.

Apart from the redness on her chest the feather loss looks like a heavy moult to me. It's the time of year for moulting.

I'm not sure where in Oz you are but if you've had a lot of rain I'd check for coccidia ~ Amprolium as a preventative in their water is what is usually recommended. You may need a cream from your vet for the chest rash. S/he can check for coccidea too.

Extra protein in the form of canned fish is used for moulters who are having a hard time of it. Some extra nutrients wouldn't go astray either to help boost her immunity. Your local produce store should carry those. Amprolium you can get on~line or from your vet. Your produce store might carry it but I don't usually have much luck getting Amprolium from them.

 

[Ribh]

Thank you! I've ordered the Amprolium now. It hasn't rained much but they often step in their water dish and sometimes other neighbourhood birds will hang out in their run so maybe it's come from somewhere else.

I'll add extra protein and see how we go.

Do you know if those large rolls of dog food would also work? It's a bit cheaper than cat food where I am.

Sorry, I usually just buy whatever's on special in the tinned fish department because I know there's no fillers. Hopefully someone else will chip in @rjohns39 ?

Coccidea thrives in wet poopy soil. We've been super wet & I've had to treat my flock a number of times recently. Keep their coop/run area as clean & dry as you can & never throw food down on the ground. Your flock probably carries it all the time but it can really erupt given the right conditions.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like she's molting.
I would provide her with some extra protein (egg, meat, fish or chick starter).
If you have poultry vitamins direct dose her twice a week.
Molting can be hard on some birds.

The amprolium likely won't hurt her, but she's molting.

 

[neo71665]

molting as said

 

[rjohns39]

Sorry, I usually just buy whatever's on special in the tinned fish department because I know there's no fillers. Hopefully someone else will chip in @rjohns39 ?

Coccidea thrives in wet poopy soil. We've been super wet & I've had to treat my flock a number of times recently. Keep their coop/run area as clean & dry as you can & never throw food down on the ground. Your flock probably carries it all the time but it can really erupt given the right conditions.

To amp up protein and vitamins, cheap canned salmon is my favorite as it has a better profile than the good stuff. Adding a boiled egg yolk is nice as well.

 

[sourland]

Full blown molt.

 

[Jenessa_09]

Looks like she's molting.
I would provide her with some extra protein (egg, meat, fish or chick starter).
If you have poultry vitamins direct dose her twice a week.
Molting can be hard on some birds.

The amprolium likely won't hurt her, but she's molting.

Ooh I agree, this happened to my Rhode Island red last fall/winter! She is one of our most best egg layers and very calm girl. I will attach some photos,(they are not the most best) wish you luck!!

 

[cmom]

I agree with the others. It appears to me that she is going through a heavy molt. Some birds do go through heavier molts than others. As far as mites go, some only come out at night to feed on the birds. I use a head lamp so I have both of my hands free and go out to the coops in the evening after the birds roost and inspect them, but again it appears to me like she going through a heavy molt. Good luck...