Mumsnet Talk

I have 3 hens, have had them about 3 years.

One of them (a Gingernut Ranger) has lost a lot of feathers lately. In the past they've looked no more than a bit tatty when they moulted but this time she has bald patches and looks dreadful. Do they sometimes moult more drastically than usual, or is there something wrong? I have checked for mites and lice and there is no sign of either.

The other 2 (Sussex and another hybrid) look fine - the Sussex moulted a while ago but not much.

She's behaving normally though not laying but I expected that at this time of year (though in her first year she laid right through the winter without missing a day).

Thanks!

typo, that should say 2 years not 3.

when I had my hens and they moulted they looked really really bad! Just make sure theres no bullying going on, if not she will grow back and I always found it grew back so much nicer than it was

Thanks Needtogetalife!

There's no bullying, luckily - the Sussex is at the bottom of the pecking order (because she is the most stupid).

Yep. I had one who was oven ready for a bit. They look all pale and miserable, too. I try not to handle them or stress them in any way and add some poultry spice to their feed and apple cider vinegar to their water as a bit of a boost. Never lost one to a moult yet

thank you

Yep, our gold partridge Peking get scruffy whereas the Cuckoo Maran Peking looked very moth eaten and had no tail for a while.

yeah, they can look like half0plucked hens, with feathers in odd directions and quills