Its on two hens, one is maybe 2 years and the other is a year on Easter. (its a Welsummer and a Bantam D'Anver)
We feed them a boss heavy scratch mix everyday (about 2-3 cups? spread out for the whole flock of 19)
We've inspected them for mites and such and have seen nothing, they also don't seem uncomfortable or itchy.
We live in a suburban neighborhood and they free-range our backyard and there aren't any brambles, we even got rid of our Rose bush a few months ago which would have been the only thing LOL
Birds are 2 and about oneOn the older welsummer its on her shoulders and like 3 feathers in her tail (not the major ones just in the little butt fluff where a roosters saddle would be) and just a few here and there on the younger D'Anver, Its dark now and they're in bed but I can try and get some pictures tomorrow.
I can GUARANTEE its not our rooster doing is as he is a hen pecked hen raised bantam cochin cockerel, and not a single hen even lets him NEAR them let alone to just flirt with them, poor baby xD
I'm still having a suspicion that they're scooting under a fence or doing something to wear those feathers out faster... I have 2 BRs that like to dig out of the run, and they squirm under the fence when they do it. The damage is on their shoulders and tails from dragging under the fence.
But feathers do naturally wear down eventually anyway, though how fast depends on what they're up to as well as nutritional needs. I'm in a very dry area, but I assume that chickens in a humid environment might have different issues to deal with, like being wet from rain etc... Could even be what they're choosing to dust bathe in as well; pine needles versus sand for instance.
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