Losing feathers..

[knittywittywoo]

I have 2 hens and we have had them since July. Until December we were getting 2 eggs most days then it dropped to 1 most days then just 1 since new year. They haven't got a light on so I realise they should have stopped well before they did do.
What concerns me now though is they are losing quite alot of feathers. They seem to be soft underneath feathers not the main ones, they have no bald patches although stoopid 2 does seem to be losing from the top of her head.
I have checked the house for mites and can't see anything, I can't see anything when I go near them, although when I picked stoopid 1 up yesterday to check she made a right commotion and I had to let her go. Their behaviour in general is normal, they are eating, not visually losing weight and still being general stoopids.

Is this just something they do? I am planning to get some powder tomorrow but just wondered if I should be more worried.

[vicky]

Mine have been moulting since about November, they have bald bums and tums but I can see ugly little stubbly bits where the new feathers are growing. Sounds like that's what yours could be doing?
I give mine a little Poultry Spice as TLC and don't expect as many eggs, also check for lice (I read somewhere they are worse in winter?)

[Suechooks]

Some of my ex-batts are still doing this though most are regrowing now. I have a speckledy who is 4 years old and is also having a minor moult. (She doesn't usually lay between Nov and end of Jan) Egg production hasn't dropped much though theoretically it should have! They have poultry spice in their morning mash and I put louse powder in the shavings in the hut and nest boxes as a precaution.