Chickens

[andypandy]

could anyone tell me why my why my black rock hens keep plucking all their feathers out? They have a huge area to roam free with lots of greenery to scratch at, they are well
fed with all the right foods and have been sprayed every 3 day's with anti pluck spray.Any help much appreciated.

[redman41]

How often do you clean out the Hen Coop, maybe they have mites ! Just a guess.

[wildwood]

redman41 is almost certainly right.

There are many types of feather mites and some attack the keratin at the base, effectively weakening the shaft that hold the feather in the follicle. Once the night shelter has been cleaned out get a suitable spray and spray it everywhere. Make sure it is a suitable spray. If you live in a fairly large city there may be a farm supplies business that will sell small amounts for hobby farmers.

[ruthann58]

are you sure they are not having a moult , wrong time of year i know but my lot moulted in january and looked a right sorry state but all back to normal now with nice new feathers

[JonnyBoy12]

Sounds like your chickens are all hen-pecked to me. Would give you a proper answer, but am too chicken to commit to a sensible suggestion.

[Chaffinch]

My Black Rock are also moulting now, I think it may be because we've had such a long cold winter that they are late. My Buff Orpingtons are not moulting just the black rock!!