Backyard Fowl Keepers

Hi fellow chicken keepers, I need help figuring out whats going on with my hens! A month ago, I noticed significant feather loss on my Black Copper Marans and Lavender Orpington. At first, I thought it was molting, but their bare skin is red, irritated, and feathers arent growing back. Theyre still active, eating well, and free-ranging, but Maggie (the Marans) hasnt laid in weeks.

I found a few red mites under the roost bars, so I deep-cleaned the coop, treated with mite spray, and dusted the birds and nest boxes. Ive also boosted their protein with mealworms and tuna. No signs of feather-picking, and the rest of the flock only has mild feather loss.

Could this still be molt, or am I dealing with something like depluming mites? Should I try a different treatment? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I've had hens with similar feather loss from overmating,do you have a rooster? Even if you don't, sometimes a dominant hen will mount others, causing feather wear on certain birds.

You could try supplementing with black oil sunflower seeds or a poultry conditioner feed to help speed up feather regrowth. Some hens just take longer to bounce back from a molt.

It sounds like you're on top of the mite issue, but maybe try treating again after a week or two. Red mites can be really persistent, especially if they're hiding in cracks and crevices of the coop. A second round of treatment can catch any newly hatched mites.

I'd give them a warm bath with Epsom salts if their skin looks really irritated. It can help soothe the redness and also drown any lingering mites that might be hiding in their feathers.

Have you checked for feather picking at different times of the day? Sometimes the dominant hens pull feathers when they're bored or establishing pecking order, and it's not always obvious. You could try adding extra enrichment like hanging veggies or a dust bath with wood ash to keep them busy.

How's the weather been? Sometimes, if it's been unusually damp or cold, chickens will hold off on regrowing feathers even after a molt. Ensuring they have a warm, dry place to roost might encourage regrowth.

Are their feathers breaking off, or are they being lost completely? If they seem broken or frayed, it could be a sign of a nutritional deficiency or a mild case of feather mites, which would require different treatment than red mites.

If they are still laying (aside from Maggie), that's a good sign. A hard molt can really take a toll, especially on Marans and Orpingtons, which can drop a lot of feathers at once. Keep an eye on new pin feathers,if they're slow to come in, it might not be a normal molt.

Have you checked their diet? Sometimes deficiencies, particularly in protein or vitamins like biotin, can cause feather loss and poor regrowth. A little scrambled egg or a poultry vitamin supplement might help.