Topic: The attack of the stronger chook!!!

[Lazybones]

One of my hens is attacking the other.  Well, that's what I assume, haven't seen anything but she started off with no feathers on the back of her neck (which clearly she cannot reach) and now they are disappearing even more.  I don't think they have just fallen out as they definitely look as if the bases of the feathers are still there and they have been pulled.  I might be a little soppy but she doesn't look right either but she has never been particularly friendly and therefore cannot get hold of her.  She does look as if she is listing to one side, but then of course she will run off perfectly fine so I don't know if she is doing this because she is nervous or ill?

I did think it was because she stopped laying first and the other one was telling her off but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[slyfox-mal]

sounds like shes in the molt and nothing to worry about  but keep an eye on her and maybe add a little poultry spice to her food  ever couple of days  if she stopped laying then she is probably molting regards mal

[Marymary]

i agree  she is probably moulting - they often seem a bit off colour as well while they are going through it & then perk up when they get their lovely new feathers.

Slyfox - do you think poultry spice actually does any good?  I tried it for a bit but couldn't see any difference & was a bit unimpressed with the ingredients - I mean they are spices &  I wondered about their medicinal value - might make them tast nice if we ate them - which we don't.

[missy]

Hello,
Chickens in moult can look absolutely awful, ragged, like a fox has had em and they got away. If you get some Battles poultry drink, it can help quite alot its a tonic drink.
Whilst in moult they use every possible bit of energy to grow new feathers and apparently ther reproductive organs shrink, hence no eggs.
I give mine a tin of sardines every other week to help up their protein, apart from that it's just a waiting game.

From missy

[Lazybones]

Thanks guys - that's made me feel a lot better.  Strange how it didn't happen last winter - I assumed they only lost a few feathers and that's why I hadn't noticed it but she's definitely feeling very sorry for herself.

Have bought some dried mealworms as a treat but will try the other things mentioned too.

[Heldi]

Hey lazybones! Some of my hens look an absolute disgrace this year...bald patches,especially around the neck. They too didn't seem to look this bad last year!  I'm not worried, I had seen some pictures in a magazine of some hens in the moult,they looked awful,hardly any feathers,so I was prepared!One of mine, who has looked really terrible for a while has grown herself a lovely new set of feathers and is looking really well. It just took her a little while!  :)

Oh I give mine a slosh of cod liver oil if I give them some boiled up veg peelings. A couple of glugs for my 20 chooks, all mashed in so hopefully each one gets some.It gives a wonderful sheen to their feathers and seemed to give them little a boost.

[Rosyred]

Tin of sardines i'm quite interested by that how much would you give two hens? Only one is in moult at the mo but it i suppose that doesn't matter.

[slyfox-mal]

im not sure about the benifits of poultry spice but i always have given mine it and seems to get them through the molt a little quicker and i think is smells lovelyi guess its just a few added trace elements to give them to help them through the stress of a molt cheers mal

[Rosyred]

Where do you buy poultry spice from?

[slyfox-mal]

most places that sell poultry food will sell spice  about £3.50 a tub
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Poultry-spice-chicken-feed-supplement-450g_W0QQitemZ260048123796QQihZ016QQcategoryZ46292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

thats what you'r looking for  cheers mal

[teresa]

Check where you buy your poultry feed at. I am sure I have seen it at our Jollys pet shop.