Chicken with loss of breast feathers

[eswets]

I have a hen that has a bald breast. It has been like this for a few months. The skin is red around the areas. Background, I have 9 RIR that are about a year and a half. No rooster. I never see any bulling, don't think they have molted yet. Live in NE Illinois. Up until the last two weeks egg production was great. 6-9 eggs a day. Now eggs are down to 3-5 eggs a day. They all seem to be eating and drinking normal and act like normal. The last two weeks I have noticed a wrinkled egg every 3-4 days. In the past few weeks 2 other hens have been loosing feather on their neck and breast (might be molting?). I see no signs of lice or mites. I am concerned now because the egg production is down (I have supplemental light), a few deformed eggs, and the redness on the breast that hasn't gone away. I don't want to treat my chickens for something they don't have or not do anything if something is wrong. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Eric

 

[Wyorp Rock]

First hen photo I see broken and rubbed feathers. Observe her to see if she's picking at herself or another is plucking her during roosting.
Also check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

Second bird looks more like molting.

How long have you provided supplemental lighting? How many hours of darkness do they get each night?

What do you feed including treats?
Do you provide oyster shell free choice?

Hard to tell, but egg looks to be mended. How much stress are they under?

 

[eswets]

Should the crop be flat in the morning? Ill have to check that.

Light is about 2 hours in the morning before the sun. Darkness right now is about 12 hours.

I use commercial layer feed. I also give them greens and fruit (leftover from a local food pantry) every other day. every now and then I give them scratch in the afternoon.

Yes free choice oyster shells.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, the crop should be flat in the mornings before she's had anything to eat/drink.

You may be diluting their protein content a little too much with the extra greens, fruits and scratch. Most layer feeds are 16% protein and designed as complete. Anything "extra" can dilute that nutrition, especially the protein. Birds in production need that balance and protein to produce those daily eggs.
Since you're supplementing light, then they didn't take a winter break to molt, continuous laying can be stressful.
I would focus on nutrition, cut back on extras or feed more protein. They may benefit from vitamins once a week as well.