Buckeye Hen growing turkey beard?

[wild chick]

This Buckeye hen is 3 1/2 years old. She's been a normal hen, laying etc. Last year she grew small spurs, and had a normal laying this past spring/summer. Went into molt late summer and now seems fully feathered except she has the hair-

type bunches of feathers on her breast. They look like a very short version of a turkey beard feathers, which look like horse tail hair. Thoughts???

 

[sourland]

Have you checked to see if there is a wound under the feathers?

 

[wild chick]

No previous injuries or wounds, no. I've never seen her picking feathers, just normal preening. But I think maybe I have photos of her in previous years where it looks like her feathers are like a cowlick right there, but not like straight hair. This just came in with new feathers after her molt in the last few months. I'll try to find an older photo of her and check that out. She is in good health and is pretty forward - I only have 6 hens and a rooster and they have about 1/2 acre old horse paddock to range on.

 

[wild chick]

Here's a photo of her in Aug 2021 - I took it to show the spurs she grew that year.