Chewed up feathers on one girl

[mscallisto]

I have 2 australops that I got as chicks this last spring. They've been doing great and have kept me entertained with their antics. Their names are Over and Easy. A couple days ago I went to check on then and Easy's tailfeathers look like they've been chewed on. I looked through the forum and found something about blood feathers, but hers aren't bleeding and aren't that short. She (Easy) is the larger and dominant of the two, so I was suprised to see her feathers chewed, but not Overs. I check on them every day and they both live in a coop and only come out when I'm with them. I've seen a couple mice over the last couple months, but they are usually swallowed the next day.

I'm putting up pictures of my two girls. Have any of you seen this? It has been below freezing the last week or so, but I have a heat lamp in the nesting area that keeps it just above freezing so I don't get frozen eggs.

This is Over with her beautiful tailfeathers




This is Easy with her chewed up feathers



Should I be worried? Are they just bored? They haven't been let out for long because of the cold and snow. I checked her vent and it looks pink and healthy, and I don't see any bugs.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Mites and lice will chew on feathers. I would dust your chickens.