Are my hens molting? Or do they have mites?

[CassiesChicks]

I am a relatively new chicken owner - I got my chicks a year ago, and have been learning as I go. In January of this year most of my hens were molting and they basically stopped laying (we were getting 5 or 6 eggs a day from 32 hens). Everyone seemed to back to normal and now we are getting 2-1/2 dozen eggs per day. But I noticed that my Red Orpingtons seems to be molting - and if I remember right, they didn't lose any feathers when the other hens were going through the molt. I just want to make sure they don't have mites or some disease. What really concerns me is my Black Sexlink Maran who has had this bare spot on her back for a couple months now - so it doesn't seem like molting there. Thanks for any help or advice!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

They are either being over mated on the back along with feather picking due to lack of protien

 

[CassiesChicks]

Thanks for the info - I don't have any roosters, only hens.... so I don't think it's that.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Thanks for the info - I don't have any roosters, only hens.... so I don't think it's that.

Then its plucking from lack of protien you could also use pinless peepers so they cant pluck eachother as it becomes a habit after doing it for so long

 

[coach723]

How big is your coop and run? Over crowding is also a common cause of feather picking.