Chook Me!

Chicken molting or losing feathers?Please CLICK! Riggghhhht HERE?

Okay, my chicken NEVER loses feathers. She is an only chicken as of 1 week on Saturday. About 2 days ago, I noticed a big pile of feathers under where she sleeps. There are no OBVIOUS bald spots at all. I do not know if they are the feathers around her bum or what, but they are feathers about the size of a 50 cent piece (but not wide just as long as). I saw one tailfeather in the coop today, but there were not more than that in there. She has little feathers on her neck and head, so they may be shedding from there, but it doesnt look like it. Like I said, I do not know where they are coming from on her body. I read that the molt goes head neck, wings, brest, body, bum, tail and if they molt from their bums first, it could be mites. I have a picture on my Flickr (will post link on 11/24/2011) of how many feathers she has shed. She hasnt even finished one whole chick feeder in a week. When I had my other chicken, it would be gone in a day. Now, it is only half empty in a week! My other chicken was about 7 pounds, she is about 2. Oh and she takes tons and tons and tons of dust baths, so maybe it is mites! If they are, how do i treat them because she does not let me pet her. She hasnt been laying eggs either. Very very worried, so please at least take a crack at it. I'll post pics tomorrow. She is a bantam! I forgot to add, she is only 8 months old and I heard chickens start to molt at 18 months. http://www.flickr.com/photos/63418028@N02/6395122537/in/photostream/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/63418028@N02/6395122519/in/photostream/

Public Comments

1. It could be mites, poultry lice or molt...the lice will not spread to you if she had them. Molting right now for chickens is really common...right before it gets really cold chickens shed their coat then regrow their feathers. There's this stuff called DE (dietametius earth FOOD GRADE ONLY) it kills any parasites inside and out of chickens. If you can't purchase the DE then you'll want to get poultry dust at your feed store. Instructions are on the containers. Good Luck! ~Whittni