Apologies for only replying now to your post, @Granny Hatchet. We've been on school holidays and I've let things slide! Interesting that your Australorps have the exact same bald pattern. My girl has always been a broody thing, and has plucked her chest bald before, so maybe this is just more of the same. Maybe it's an Australorp thing ... poor bald girls!
Not as bad as last year but ratty still. She is frizzle though which I think makes things look even worse, my other frizzle is the same too and looks even more ratty. She is due her first adult molt soon too. 
