EE with almost no feathers on back

[sariea]

My chicks are about 6.5-7 weeks old and I noticed yesterday that one of my easter eggers, Esther, really doesn't have any feathers on her back. I'm not able to get a picture of that until maybe later, but I picked her up yesterday and moved her wings and I don't even really see very many pin feathers trying to grow in. It's from her mid-back to her tail.

I don't see it normally because I feel like her wings are huge for the rest of her body, so they cover her back 99% of the time. A couple weeks ago I did see one of my other EE, Kagura, trying to get feathers to eat off Esther's back, so I have been giving them some scrambled/hardboiled eggs 1-2x/week and (trying to give) dried mealworms for extra protein. I think I must have the only chicks that don't particularly care for mealworms. I haven't seen Kagura try to pull feathers off Esther since I started giving eggs/mealworms.

What other sources of protein are good? Should I be concerned about her not having feathers on her back, or is she still young enough that they'll come in soon?

 

[DobieLover]

What is their normal diet? What is the % protein in that diet?
How large is their coop in ft x ft? How large is their run in ft x ft? Do you let them out of their run?
How many birds total do you have?
Is that Esther or Kagura in the pictures you posted? She looks pretty good to me but I imagine without someone to hold her wings out it would be difficult to get a picture of her back under the wings.

 

[sariea]

Their normal diet is Chick Starter Medicated Crumbles (18% protein). I have 9 chicks, all the same age, their coop is 3'x'5' and their run is 5'x11-12' (my husband built it, not sure actual length but they have plenty of room right now). They've been in the coop for the last 2 weeks and have been let in the run for just the last few days since it's been warm enough. The pictures are of Esther. They are not currently let out in the yard as they're small enough a hawk could get them

 

[sourland]

I would guess that one or more of her flock mates are feather picking/plucking her.

 

[DobieLover]

Their normal diet is Chick Starter Medicated Crumbles (18% protein). I have 9 chicks, all the same age, their coop is 3'x'5' and their run is 5'x11-12' (my husband built it, not sure actual length but they have plenty of room right now). They've been in the coop for the last 2 weeks and have been let in the run for just the last few days since it's been warm enough. The pictures are of Esther. They are not currently let out in the yard as they're small enough a hawk could get them

Unfortunately, your coop and run are too small for the number of birds you have.
I agree with @sourland that Esher is likely the victim of feather picking.
If you intend to keep all your birds, you will need a larger coop and run. Your coop should be a minimum of 3 sq/bird, 4 is preferable but smaller can work with a fully secure attached run. If they are not allowed out of the run, it should be a MINIMUM of 10 sq feet per bird. I build mine to twice that area to make sure everyone has space. And add lots of logs, branches and other items for them to fly up on and perch.
And without meaning to really rain on your parade, they will never be large enough where hawks won't be a threat. Hawks kill full grown LF chickens all the time.

 

[sariea]

Unfortunately, your coop and run are too small for the number of birds you have.
I agree with @sourland that Esher is likely the victim of feather picking.
If you intend to keep all your birds, you will need a larger coop and run. Your coop should be a minimum of 3 sq/bird, 4 is preferable but smaller can work with a fully secure attached run. If they are not allowed out of the run, it should be a MINIMUM of 10 sq feet per bird. I build mine to twice that area to make sure everyone has space. And add lots of logs, branches and other items for them to fly up on and perch.
And without meaning to really rain on your parade, they will never be large enough where hawks won't be a threat. Hawks kill full grown LF chickens all the time.

We aren't going to be keeping all of them. 4 were straight-run and we already think we have 2 roos, we're just waiting for them to crow/lay an egg to be sure. They're only ~7 weeks old so their coop/run is large enough right now. They have perches in the run and the coop (pics below, perch in the run is not in the pic)

As for hawks, I know they'll always be a threat, but I don't want to make it easy for them to get food by letting my 7-wk old chicks free range in the yard. It's been too wet/cold to put them in our tractor yet, but we will be doing that soon.

I guess for now I"ll just put some pick no more on Esther's back..