Chickens.....Feathers.....??!!
Urgency:S.O.S.!
Category: Health & Wellness
For: dogs, cats, fish, horses, reptiles, birds, small pets, other pets
Asked by: ashley (ashley112) 7 months ago
My rhoad island hens have not grown there feathers back an its been 4 months! I have seperated My rooster big red an put him in his own cage cuz his feathers on his neck are taken forever to grow back to an the hens were pecking at him. One of my hens even has a big scab on her side that the other hens were peckin at so its kinda open! So shes in her own cage too!! There feathers have never been this bad b4. I mean there gone almost. They look bad. I dont no what else to do for them. Do u no why there feathers might not be growin back?....Or what i could do to help my hen with the half way open wound on her side? If there is anything to buy or do to help there feathers grow back????
Answers from Zootooers
Answered by: Alvin & Gretchen (ambudman) 7 months ago
When chickens molt they lose their feathers and it takes awhile for them to look nice again. This happens to my hens every year. I have 12 hens right now and my oldest one is picking on one of my newer ones and she looks pretty bad but no wounds. I put cedar shavings in my chicken coop and spread them around in their pen, it helps keep bugs out. I have never had trouble with mites but my neighbor lost all her chickens to them.
Answered by: Mary A. (DakotasMama) 7 months ago
Hi, when my son was in 4H he showed chickens.First of all separate any chicken with open wounds from healthy ones.Chickens are cannibals and will peck to death those with open wounds.Keep all the wounded chickens in their own respective individual cages. Regarding the feathers, I remember them going thru a molting period.Ask your vet or maybe your local feed store for help in that area.They may have mites or some other parasite which is causing the feather lost. I wish I could be of more help to you.
