Today when I checked on my chickens, I noticed two of them were missing feathers on the underside of their necks, just below the beak. One of the hens is 6 months old and the other a year old. Could this be a moult? I inspected the hens further. One of these two was also missing her breast feathers. She was broody in September and never really went through a moult. The skin looks healthy it is not red or inflamed. I found one other hen that was missing breast feathers, but she was acting a little broody a couple of weeks ago, which can lead to bald spots along the breast. (I stole her eggs and took her from the nest a couple of times, which seemed to end her broodiness.) I was just puzzled by the "naked necks"
Have you played with artificial lights lately in their coop?
Yes, I had a heat lamp that came on at dusk and off at dawn. They spent the winter in a portable greenhouse, so they had some light all the time. Now that the nights have been warmer I have the heat lamp off. I did have a thought that the lack of light at night (from the heat lamp) could have caused a moult. I guess that is what happened. They are now growing feathers in the bare spots.
Has anyone else ever seen this?
Thanks,
Janet
By Aram_Seattle on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 07:22 pm:
By Jnavin on Saturday, April 13, 2002 - 09:28 am:
Thanks,
Janet