Why is my 2-week-old chick losing fluff and feathers stopped growing?

It's possible the chick is getting picked on or has parasites that are causing the feather loss and runny stool. A medicated feed, deworming, and treating for any external parasites is a good idea. If the other chicks are pecking at it, removing it to a hospital cage for a few days and then reintroducing it to the flock is best to allow for time to recover and heal. I would also make sure there is a heat lamp provided until the feathers have come in.

It would be best to discourage mice being in the coop as much as possible, either by setting traps or making sure the grain fed to the chickens is hung out of reach and all grain-bins are closed. While they may not transmit much or anything to your hens, the droppings can transmit diseases to the humans cleaning the coop if not properly handled. Chickens should have feathers. It is possible your hen is molting (losing feathers while new ones grow in) which is normal and happens yearly for most chickens, and you will see pin (or short pin-like) feathers signaling new feathers regrowing. If your chicken is not regrowing the feathers or is being picked on, it may indicate an issue such as being bullied, parasites, illness, etc and should be checked out by a vet.

The pictures are really blurry so it's hard to see, but if you're seeing round cylinder-like feathers protruding from the skin that is likely a pin feather. This is a normal feather that is growing back in after the old one is lost. If your bird recently lost a lot of feathers and is now growing them back, they likely were molting, which is normal! This is just the normal replacement of old feathers with new ones. If Sheephony seems cold, moving them to a warmer location until their feathers have regrown can help.

Since you do not have much history about Chichi it is hard to say whether this feather loss is a problem or not. If she is in fact molting, the feathers should start to regrow (within a month) and the bird should then look normal. If Chichi is not active, refusing to eat, seems itchy, or is continuing to lose feathers, there may be an underlying issue going on. With any new pet I recommend taking them in to your vet to establish a relationship with the vet and to have a health examination performed. If there is anything abnormal your vet will be able to diagnosis it. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Baby birds can lose feathers in what looks like a molt as their adult feathers come in. If she is molting, you will see new feathers, called pin feathers, sticking out of the skin (they look like little needles). If she is otherwise healthy and active and on a balanced diet I wouldn't be too concerned, however you did mention she is a bit lethargic. If she is losing feathers and isn't growing in new ones, and remains lethargic or begins to decrease her eating/drinking habits, have changes in stool, etc, then seeking out an exam in person is best to rule out any issues such as parasites, illness, nutrient issues, etc that could be causing her symptoms. Keeping her eating and drinking, warm, and away from any other birds that may pick on her if she is ill can also help until you can get to a vet.

If Naomi is showing signs of illness, poor growth, not growing in adult feathers while losing others, etc it is best to seek veterinary care in person for an exam. They can help determine if there is a cause such as illness or malnutrition preventing her normal growth. It is normal for baby birds to lose their down feathers as they grow in adult ones, you can check this by looking for pinfeathers (small pointy objects sticking out the skin) that indicate new feathers are being formed and growing in. This is not an instant process and there may be patches of baldness where the old feathers fall out and new grow in during this stage.

Hi and thank you for this question, It sounds as if Mithu should be examined by a vet. One possibility is a viral disease called psittacine beak and feather disease. This can be diagnosed from a blood sample. There may off course be other causes, but diagnosing them would require a vet exam.