# Chickens feathers looking lousy...?



## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

My hens are over a year old. They all look disheveled, and feathers are all messy looking. Some shorter fluffy feathers, some longer. They have not gone into molt yet. Is this a sign of something wrong, or is it common before molt?
I have some younger hens from their off spring, and gosh, they look soo much bigger, and have nice shiney feathers.
Also, could they maybe have worms...? Are there any physical signs of that?


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

possibly feather mites. Try dusting them with Sevin or Poultry dust. The feathers won't look good until they molt again. Also, at the same time, remove all bedding, replace with new, dust that liberally too. You can make a whitewash with the dust and paint the inside of wooden structures, perches, nest boxes. Adam Flea Spray helps too. Good luck. I am battling the same thing! My beautiful birds lost their tails! I thought it was because they were going under a cage when it was raining and their tails were wet and being broken off by the wire... I was wrong.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

If they look lousy, maybe they are. Not being a smart butt.... but that phrase came from th way poutlry looks when it has mites or lice (singular of lice is louse)


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## smilesnsunshine (Jun 14, 2009)

Another possibility could be too much intense sun. The UV makes the big feathers brittle and they break off, or something. My whole flock of Brahmas are now "fuzzy" everywhere except their wings - but my two broodys that haven't been in the sun still have normal feathers. Perfectly healthy otherwise. They have plenty of shade available but really like the sunshine, and I'm not going to cover my whole backyard. (BTW I'm in Southeast Arizona at about 5000'. The sun is intense.)


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## harrisjnet (Jul 13, 2006)

Mid Summer heat will have them all looking pretty ragged. Mites and Lice will to. If there are too many roosters after the gals, that can cause bad hair days to.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

A good laying hen will have pretty worn feathers and, if they haven't molted yet, I wouldn't be surprised if they are getting ready to drop their feathers. When they do molt be sure they have a high protein ration, maybe add a bit of cat kibble to their diet. My mamma duck ate starter/grower with the ducklings and molted after she set the eggs. She looks wonderful now and will be ready to start laying again soon.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

O.k. thanks! It is mostly the Brahmas and Wyandottes that have those fluffy downy feathers, and look bad. We are in sunny Florida, and the heat index has been over 100. Also, they are good laying hens, every day.
I will try to find some seven dust. Nats have been awful here too.


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