Is this molting or something else???

[FeatheredRaptor]

She hopped into my lap to get some rubs and I noticed she’s missing feathers. No blood or any injuries. She is part of my first batch and will be a year next month. Is this signs of molting, an aggressive rooster, other hens picking on her?
It’s on her back just above the tail feathers. Any help is much appreciated

 

[little chick-y baby mama]

looks rough. How old is the hen?

 

[little chick-y baby mama]

hens tend to be 18 months old when they start to molt

 

[Farmbabies]

That is what a few of my pullets looked like from an aggressive cockerel. Their feathers are growing back in nicely now. The boy has been rehomed to a farm with a much larger flock and other cockerels/roosters now.

 

[FeatheredRaptor]

That is what a few of my pullets looked like from an aggressive cockerel. Their feathers are growing back in nicely now. The boy has been rehomed to a farm with a much larger flock and other cockerels/roosters now.

She is just over a year. Our best layer. She was attacking the other hens/rooster being jealous but haven’t seen that for a bit.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Looks like it could be caused from the rooster spurs when he mounts her.

 

[FeatheredRaptor]

Looks like it could be caused from the rooster spurs when he mounts her.

Wouldn’t the other hens have the same bald spots though? Then again I figured if it was a molt the other chickens would molt too.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Wouldn’t the other hens have the same bald spots though? Then again I figured if it was a molt the other chickens would molt too.

Not if she is more of a favorite than the others.

 

[coach723]

It does look like rooster damage. Some hens are more submissive and become favorites and are mounted more often. It does appear she has some new feathers growing in. Sometimes a bare patch with a few feathers can attract picking by others, so something to watch for. How many hens, how many roo's do you have? A good base number is 8-10 hens per roo, and that can vary depending on the birds themselves.

 

[FeatheredRaptor]

It does look like rooster damage. Some hens are more submissive and become favorites and are mounted more often. It does appear she has some new feathers growing in. Sometimes a bare patch with a few feathers can attract picking by others, so something to watch for. How many hens, how many roo's do you have? A good base number is 8-10 hens per roo, and that can vary depending on the birds themselves.

She doesn’t appear to be the favorite, at least when I’m out there. He makes his rounds but he is a little rapist... if they are submissive he just walks away, and finds one willing to put up a bigger fight. Although she is the only one with missing feathers. Ratio is 11hens to 1 roo 15sqft in the run per bird. She is probably 3rd in the pecking order of hens.