Why is my chicken not eating after moulting? | arlo.® Atlas

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

It’s fairly common for a chicken to eat less around moulting, especially if it’s feeling run down, stressed or distracted by new feather growth. That said, a reduced appetite can also happen for other reasons, so it’s worth checking the bird closely rather than assuming moulting is the only cause.

If your chicken is still drinking, moving about and showing no other obvious signs, you can often monitor it for a short time while supporting it with good care. If the appetite loss is marked, lasts more than a day or two, or comes with other symptoms, it’s sensible to speak to a vet.

Things To Check

1. Check whether the chicken is actually eating less, or just spending more time resting and preening during moulting.

2. Look for other signs such as fluffed-up posture, वजन loss, droppings changes, weakness, sneezing, or breathing noises.

3. Feel the bird’s breast muscle gently if you’re used to handling chickens, as obvious thinness can suggest the problem goes beyond normal moulting.

4. Check the skin and feather base for mites, lice, scabs or irritation, as external parasites can affect comfort and appetite.

5. Make sure fresh water is always available and see whether the bird is drinking normally.

6. Review whether anything in the flock, feed, housing or weather has changed recently that could have caused stress.

7. Watch the bird at feeding time to see if it can access food easily or if flock mates are keeping it away.

Common Causes

The most common reason is that moulting itself can leave a chicken tired, uncomfortable and a bit less interested in feed for a short period.

Stress is another common factor, especially if the bird is dealing with a change in flock order, a move, poor weather or a recent housing change.

External parasites such as lice or mites may make a chicken feel unwell or itchy enough to eat less.

Sometimes the problem is not moulting at all, but a separate issue such as an infection, digestive upset, crop problem or pain elsewhere in the body.

Less commonly, a more serious illness can show up first as reduced appetite, especially if the chicken also seems dull, isolates itself or stops behaving normally.

What To Do

Keep fresh water available and offer a sensible, familiar feed so the bird doesn’t need to adapt to lots of changes at once.

Keep the bird warm, dry and out of unnecessary stress, and make sure it can eat without being pushed away by more dominant flock mates.

Check for parasites and general condition, then keep an eye on droppings, activity level and appetite over the next day or so.

If the bird does not improve, or if it becomes dull, weak or stops drinking, get veterinary advice rather than waiting.

When To Contact A Vet

Speak to a vet if your chicken is not eating for more than a day, is losing weight, seems weak, has diarrhoea, is struggling to breathe, or is showing any other change that suggests it’s more than a normal moult. Chickens can hide illness quite well, so early advice is often the safer choice.

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