Molting or Missing Feathers?
I have alot of birds, an absurd amount of birds. Let’s take a mental stroll around the farm and discuss why i have birds missing feathers.
Let’s start at the turkey pen. I have 2 toms and 6 hens. The main tom is just about bald on his belly! This is common during breeding season. He looks awful, his tail feathers are broken, he looks all shaggy in front, he is a hot mess! They pluck their chests to be more appealing to the hens, i guess they find it attractive…. The hens also have some bald spots but not as dramatic. Mainly on their sides from mating. The tom’s feet just simply are rubbing them off, if it becomes a big problem, I can do one of 2 things, a saddle or separate. When they go broody, they sometimes pluck their abdomens to be a bit bare.
Next door to the turkeys I have a few Orpington breeder pens. In these pens, the missing feathers is different. The chicken missing the feathers is the hens. aross the base of the tail and down the sides. This is mating damage. The hens can benefit from a saddle. Watch the spurs of the cock bird don’t slice the hen. The hens also have missing feathers on the back of the head, also mating. If it is real bad, conjugal visits may be necessary. I do have a big Orp who kills his hens with overmating and he can only have conjugal visits. It is a pain, but he is so big, I have to take that into consideration.
Next pens are Bresse growouts. They are maturing through the juvenile stage and it looks like a pillow fight is going on in there. This is normal juvenile molt to get adult feathers. HOWEVER, make sure to separate sexes at this stage as cockerels will gang up on pullets and can pull feathers.
Now we move to the duck breeder pen, always feathers around ducks because they preen constantly. This is all normal and I do not get concerned.
Inside the barn is the quail. In the grow out cages, missing back feathers is typical of overcrowding and feed competition. Make sure there is plenty of space for them to grow and eat. Missing feathers in the breeder cages is different. This can be caused by overmating, a bully, not enough feed space or nutrition deficiency. It can also be caused by too much space! I know, sounds backwards, but they can get territorial, give them less space either by shortening the cage or taking up some space with dust baths or plants.
These have all been environmental factors, so let’s talk about nutrition. Feathers are protein but a bird cannot digest a feather. If a bird is eating a feather, take a look at the nutrition you are providing, if it is solid and complete, then the bird may have a physical disability that renders it unable to utilize the nutrition effectively. The more confined a bird is, the more we have to be spot on with it’s nutrition. For example, my quail are kept in cages, therefore I have to provide 100% of what they need. On the flip side, my layer flock has acres to roam to get what they need and I do not provide but maybe 50% of their daily intake. This could be where environment meets nutrition.
Lastly I will discuss parasites. First on the table is depluming mites. These are very rare and hard to diagnose, they should not be your first thought. Lice attach to the feather shaft to lay their eggs, looks like the end of a q-tip and easy to pull off with sudsy water. They don’t really make feathers fall out as much as they make the feather look awful. Internal parasites don’t directly impact feathers, they suck nutrients from the bird and that prevents them from growing feathers.
Lastly, we will discuss MOLT. This is typically the end of the summer, the birds are done breeding and its time to take a break and replenish the body. They have run a 5 month marathon and they are tired! They let the old feathers go and grow some new ones. Their immune system is running low and they need nutrition in the form of amino acids to grow new feathers. They need immune support in the form of garlic and oregano. They need rest.
In conclusion, if your chicken or other bird is missing feathers, pull up a chair and really pay attention. No treats, no phone, no interactions, just observe and my guess is in 15-20 minutes you will have an answer that is the best choice for your birds on your farm.