[Possum]

I have a 3 year old Bluebell hybrid with coccidiosis. The vet has prescribed Amprol and multivitamins and we are now on the last day of treatment. When I opened up this morning the hen house was absolutely covered in feathers.


I feared a fox or rat attack but the hens came out of the house with no signs of injury. There are also no signs of anything burrowing underneath the run. However, the Bluebell is shedding feathers at an alarming rate, although she seems OK in herself. Her moults have always been very gradual affairs so I've never seen anything like this before.


I've looked up the side effects of Amprol, but feather loss is not one of them. Does anyone have any ideas???

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi,
        some show breeders stimulate an early moult in order to get their birds into optimum feather condition in time for a show. They achive this by with holding food and water for around 24 hours or so. The lack of nutrition and hydration places the birds body under sufficient stress to stimulate the feather loss.
If all the feathers have come from your sick bird it could be a direct result of the impact of her symptoms on her nutrition and hydration levels.
If the feathers have come from a number of birds it could just be the acumulative effect of several birds coming into moult at the same time. The number of feathers lost can be quite alarming especially when they are in a confined space.
 

[in the hills]

If she appears well in herself, then I would say it could be stress caused by her recent illness/treatment. It is time of year when you would expect moulting anyway. Some of mine seem to be having a heavier/ less gradual moult this year .... not sure why. Could be weather conditions/age of birds maybe. The feathers do look a bit shocking in the pens.
 
If she has been having vet treatment you could possibly give them a quick phone call if you are worried.

[chrismahon]

We have a highly strung Cream Legbar. Last year she lost 50% of her feathers overnight. We have had a Wyandotte this year do the same. Some seem to moult for three months though so there is natural variation. Prehaps she is one of the 'get it over with quickly' group.

[plumseverywhere]

I had a bluebell lose lots of feathers overnight last week. It also looked like the fox had been in the house! Its been a weird year for moulting with our chickens, one rhode rock stayed almost bald for weeks and then suddenly grew feathers but others have moulted and regrown really quickly 

[Possum]

Thanks everyone.   I feel a lot better now.


Her back is completely bare this evening, but she doesn't seem too bad in herself. Her comb is still a reasonable colour.  I gave her  some tinned sardine this evening, which went down very well.( A previous recommendation by Rosemary) Hopefully, she will start to get back to normal now.

[Mel]

I have a dozen whom have all been moulting for about 4 weeks now,feathers everywhere,it is odd for mine to start this time of year,but they all seem quite happy-no eggs from them though

[Possum]

No eggs from mine either, but I'm just glad that she is still eating and that her feathers are begining to grow back.