Howdy! I have 5 7 week old chicks that I picked up over the weekend (2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Black Australorps, and a Barred Plymouth Rock). One of my Australorps has very few feathers on her back when she spreads her wings and she seems to pick at her feathers a lot to the point that some are a bit bent. My chicks are still in the brooder for another few days because it has been getting down to the low 40's here at night, and I haven't noticed more than 1 or 2 feathers in the brooder so I don't think she is actively pulling them. On her wings I can see patches of very soft, downy feathers compared to her more adult ones. Is it possible that she just hasn't grown in all her feathers yet, or should i be worried that she is actively having a feather issue? Thanks!
If they were crowded in the last place they could be from other birds pulling them out or it rubbing up against things. Otherwise chicks go through multiple molts as they grow, and there are places on chickens body's where there are no feathers like under the wings. I would check them over for mites, usually seen on the head or the bare skin, otherwise I wouldn't worry.
Where did you get them? Can you show pics? If, indeed they are 7 weeks old then they could have moved into an unheated coop 2 weeks ago, if they have been raised properly.
