Winter is coming..please help

I hope someone out there in cyberspace has an answer for my problem. I
have a small flock of mixed breed hens who freerange, but they spend
the nights locked in their house. Last fall, one hen began to loose
her feathers. First the feathering became really sparse at the base of
the feather shaft, then the whole feather fell out. Now, the poor
thing is bald except for some feathers around her face and some on her
lower abdomen. She spent the whole last winter like that. We kept
thinking that she might freeze, but somehow she survived. Now, I have
another hen who is experiencing the same thing. She is a pure bred
Silver Wyandott. Other than this feathering thing, they seem really
healthy and run with the rest of the flock. There seems to be nothing
wrong with their appetite either.

We have checked them for mites and have found none. I might also
mention that they are fed mixed scratch grains morning and evening and
lay mash year round so I don't think that diet is at fault.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Please help if you can as winter is
coming and it gets really cold here in Utah. Thank you so much.

Kitty

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Winter is coming..please help
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    ... > developed bald heads. ... > process as the feathers disappeared slowly but they never grew back. ... sorry but I think I misunderstood you at first, thinking you had 2 hens ... but later you talk about other birds? ...
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  • Re: Bald Heads
    ... >> developed bald heads. ... >> process as the feathers disappeared slowly but they never grew back. ... > sorry but I think I misunderstood you at first, thinking you had 2 hens ... but later you talk about other birds? ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)