Chicken Chirping - advice needed

[jenandsean]

Hi All

One of my chickens has started making a chirping noise over the past couple of weeks and has lost some feathers on her neck.

This aside she seems to be as healthy as ever, she continues to lay at her normal rate and appears content in all other ways, eg she's still happy to be picked up and is making her usual content clucking noises.

Both of my other girls appear absolutely fine

Any ideas what this could be and should I be worried about it?

Any advice gratefully received

Sean

[Scarlet]

Hi Sean, feather loss is a sign that's something wrong. It's perfect weather conditions for them to get lice or mites, check the birds and coop. You can get lice infestation that goes towards the head that could cause feather loss of feather pulling.
If she hasn't got any crawlies I suspect you have a feather pecker. How much room have your chickens got? Think it's a little early for moulting.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck!

[jenandsean]

Hi Scarlett,

The coop is treated with Creosote (the real stuff) inside and out and regularly cleaned and diatom liberally spread weekly. Their dust bath is a combination of dry topsoil and diatom - I don't think it's crawlies but I will check thoroughly.

Any thoughts on the chirping sound?

Sean

[Scarlet]

Lice live on the bird, try picking her up and check around the vent area.

Not sure on the chirping noise.
Is she definitely laying eggs?

[jenandsean]

Ok thanks for that. Will diatom treat lice or should I get something else.

She's definitely laying I'm getting three eggs 6 days out of 7.

[kathyd]

On the subject of moulting, some of my birds have started already this year - I'm finding an increasing number of feathers in the coop and run. Maybe it's the very humid weather? One of my birds in particular is constantly panting because she can't cope with the heat - could feather loss be a result of heat stress Scarlet?

I also found lice on my broody hen, despite having dusted her cage with diatom and the bird with an organic pyrethrum based powder just prior to the eggs hatching, so dusting isn't necessarily fool proof apparently.. I guess I should try to deal with the others at some point too then, *sigh *. She's also joined the group of moulters now, so is growling even more than usual .

I also have birds who chirp periodically - it's the one sound I've never been able to 'explain' because it appears to be totally random... I've always assumed it's some kind of minor irritation or possible warning, eg one of the cats nearby, seeing a buzzard overhead, someone else in the dust bath when they want to use it etc, but the other day my old granny hen did it whilst sitting quite happily on (yes, on) the picnic table with us during our morning coffee break, and she was definitely not worried about anything at the time! It's also the first time I've heard this particular bird do it. So although I can't explain it, I don't personally worry about it unless the tone changes to include a sense of panic!

Having said that, our chirping tends to be short lived and not frequent - my best guess would be your bird has a general sense of 'something' being not quite right in her little world, which could, as Scarlet suggests, be lice, or could be something else. Does she get along well with the other birds? Not feeling left out and lonely? Not noticeably struggling with the weather? Not showing any signs of broodiness (chucking straw on her back, spending hours laying an egg)?

[Scarlet]

On the subject of moulting, some of my birds have started already this year ?

I'm also seeing a few more feathers about but I ruled out moulting because she is still laying and losing feathers in a ring around the neck makes me think she is either pulling them out herself (due to an irritation such as lice) or from a feather pecker.

Hopefully Sean will come back and let us know what it is.

[kathyd]

Mmm, I agree it doesn't really sound like moulting, although mine still lay through a light or gradual moult, they just lay more lightly and gradually, lol . What might trigger feather pecking, assuming the birds have been together for a while with no previous signs of bickering?

[jenandsean]

Thanks so much for all the replies.

I checked thoroughly for lice...no signs...phew

In answer to an earlier question from Scarlett the three girls have an area of 16footx16 so that's an area of over 200square feet.

Absolutely no sign of bickering between the girls.

The chirping is persistent at the moment but doesn't appear to be causing Barbara any distress and
interestingly it stops when she's eating!

As for the lost feathers I'm inclined to think it's an early molt given the images online (that may be triumph of hope over experience but I'm good with that at the moment)

All I can do is keep checking for crawlies and keep a very close eye on the girls, should I see a change I'll be back ...

Once again thanks for the replies :-)

[Nicos]

I have 2 chooks starting to moult on their necks and 2 of my 3 Light Sussex natter and chirp all the time.
Could just be a totally natural thing, but as you say, always best to keep an eye out for our gals eh??

[Scarlet]

Mmm, I agree it doesn't really sound like moulting, although mine still lay through a light or gradual moult, they just lay more lightly

Mine must be lazy birds! As soon as they start to lose feathers egg production is down to the minimum. Though some of my older girls really go for it and lose the lot!

[Scarlet]

What might trigger feather pecking, assuming the birds have been together for a while with no previous signs of bickering?

There are several triggers but even so I think some breeds are much more prone to feather picking than others. Nutritional deficiency, (feeding too much corn/ kitchen scraps is often the cause)
Boredom or stress is another factor, small runs with little foraging holds little interest and the birds start to pull feathers.
Open wounds can start it too, they will peck at anything that's different.

[jenandsean]

I have 2 chooks starting to moult on their necks and 2 of my 3 Light Sussex natter and chirp all the time.
Could just be a totally natural thing, but as you say, always best to keep an eye out for our gals eh??

Indeed we must, it's amazing how they become part of the family