Molting or something else

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

A couple of my chickens have missing feathers around their necks, they’re about 9mo old and haven’t had their first molt yet. I haven’t noticed big piles of feathers under the roosting bars, but there are a few here and there around the coop. One also has small yellowish flaps of skin in the area though I’m not sure if that’s just the featherless skin? The areas are not irritated, you can’t really see the odd skin texture in the attached pictures of one chicken but tell me if you need better ones!
The chicken in the pictures also has spots of matted feathers, but I’m pretty sure she just needs a good dust bathing (ours is running low and needs a refill soon!). The other one looks almost completely healthy except the missing feathers.
For clarification, she doesn’t keep her neck stretched like that all the time, I just caught pictures when she was so it was easier to see the area.

 

[azygous]

Just in case you didn't notice, there are no photos. To post a photo, click on the paper clip in the reply window (attach files) It opens your computer files. Then select the file on your device where your photos are. Pick the ones you want to post and click on "open". That posts the photos. Then select full size images and you'll have nice large photos to show us with lots of detail.

Try to get a good clear shot of the bare skin. There is a form of Marek's that affects the skin, and a photo could help diagnose this or rule it out. Your hens at nine months are likely not molting. Feather picking is a more likely cause. Often, the pickers are close friends of the victim. Watch them when they are loafing. It's when most picking occurs.

 

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

Okay, thanks! Sorry, I didn’t realize I hadn’t posted the pictures.

 

[azygous]

I would say that those bare spots are from feather picking. Molt is notable by bare spots with uniform pin feathers emerging.

Your photos are not lit properly to determine the condition of the skin. Here's a general tip when taking photos. Be sure the subject is the thing where the light falls, not the background. Your device averages the light areas and dark areas together, and that produces less light in the areas where you want us to see detail. If the background is where the light falls, all else will be in shadow with very diminished detail. The third photo is properly lit, but unfocused.

Try painting Blue-kote on the bare skin. It helps discourage picking.

 

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

Thank you, I will definitely do this and see if I can get some better pictures tomorrow to post here!

I would say that those bare spots are from feather picking. Molt is notable by bare spots with uniform pin feathers emerging.

Your photos are not lit properly to determine the condition of the skin. Here's a general tip when taking photos. Be sure the subject is the thing where the light falls, not the background. Your device averages the light areas and dark areas together, and that produces less light in the areas where you want us to see detail. If the background is where the light falls, all else will be in shadow with very diminished detail. The third photo is properly lit, but unfocused.

Try painting Blue-kote on the bare skin. It helps discourage picking.

 

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

I just realized I didn’t post all the photos! Here are the ones previously described about the chickens missing neck feathers, I didn’t get a chance to take better photos, but this is what I meant to add when I posted this thread.

 

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

I just realized I didn’t post all the photos! Here are the ones previously described about the chickens missing neck feathers, I didn’t get a chance to take better photos, but this is what I meant to add when I posted this thread.View attachment 3741362View attachment 3741363

In the second picture you can see some of the yellow skin “wrinkles” a little if you zoom in.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, feather picking.