bleeding at site of (new?) feathers

[2hot2chicken]

I have a light brahma pullet that is almost 6 months old. She has just started laying this week and layed 2-3 eggs for me

Today when doing my thorough weekly health exams I noticed that she is getting a lot of new feathers coming through the skin around her vent. some of them look like, ??? ingrown hairs? they are kinda poking the unbroken skin and slightly bleeding under the skin. also some of them that have broken the skin have bled a lil bit. Enough that I noticed a couple shavings under where she roost had blood on them. I also noticed that she has some (plucked?) feathers up on her throat right blow her waddles. I watched them for a while out my window today to see if I could catch a different bird doing it. And nothing. Her and her sister (bought the pair from ideal) are the 2 top birds in our flock and are the bossy duo, they frequently show the flock who is boss. I don't think it would be possible for her to pluck these feathers herself tho? Some of them look to be more broken off then pulled out? Everyone else looks great and she does to and she is eating great! hogging all she can as boss! Also I know she didn't get her head in anywhere she could have broken off the feathers, my first thot. It been raining a LOT here the last few days, over an inch a day! (gota love oregon) and I have been forced to keep them confined to their coop and run which is covered and wrapped in plastic on all but 1 wall for ventilation. so right now 15 birds has 10x12 run and 6x8 coop open 24/7.
2 LF light brahma
3 LF BR
3 6mth old silkies
3 3mth old silkies
4 adult silkies (3 hen/1roo)

They usually free range most of the day every day but we did some landscaping recently to get yard ready for winter and its pretty muddy with all the rain so I do not want to let the silkies out and figure its not fair to let half out and keep the rest locked up when they are used to always being together...... I am also trying to rehome the 6mth and 1 3mth silkie and we are almost done with DD coop and run so 2 adult silkies will be out getting the numbers down. Could this be a confinement thing? Why only her? Puzzled?????
Question 1:
Could this just be her maturing and I didn't notice it with my girls in the past as they have all been dark colored birds?

Question 2:
Should I apply anything to her vent area? as she is top queen I don't think anyone but her partner in crime would bother pecking her and I don't think she would. These 2 are like ying and yang. If you hold 1 the other is at your feet talking to the 1 in your hands! They panick if they are seperated.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, it could be different things...

Your space is a bit snug for the number of birds you have. And if they're used to being allowed to range and now aren't, it could def. bring on different behaviors. My birds are noticeably crabbier when contained - shorter tempered with one another. So that is a possibility. It's not cruel to let some birds out and others not. Maybe alternate days of doing that if that would help you feel more fair???

But also, my GLW is my latest molter. She will make herself bleed by digging and picking at the feathers coming in on her butt/vent area. She's my "meanest" chicken, 2nd in command, so most of my girls avoid her. I've watched her squeal/complain while picking at herself. I guess those quills are just murder (probably painful and itchy) while trying to poke through, so she just can't leave them alone. I've watched her dig until she brings blood. So your bird could be picking her own rear feather area. That doesn't explain under her wattles though...not sure how that would be happening

 

[2hot2chicken]

UPDATE:
well I looked closer today under her neck and it looks lke maybe the red skin from her waddles is creaping outward a little into this area. So since there arnt anymore plucked Im thinking maybe she was rubbing her neck on something to itch it maybe? There is still no bleeding or abnormal redness in this area. As for the vent area more of the feathers have come through the skin. These feathers have wet blood on them but do not appear to be bleeding enough to drip or anything and they are covered by her tail so nobody else can see he blood. I think im gona leave her alone and her take care of it herself unless anybody thinks I need to step in and do something?

I know qurters are a lil cramped and we had intended to have our silkie chatoe done long before this but husband coworker had a stroke and so hes been working tons of overtime to help cover his coworker's shift. Thus coop got on back burner just as weather started to turn. We were goin to give DD coop for xmas but just couldn't get it done in time.

They all seem to actually be doing pretty well together in confinment. They all pretty much grew up together as the babies were raised in with the flock. Also all but 5 are very mild mannered silkies so this helps. I also give them tons of veggie treats to keep them bussy throughout the day