Feather loss with no skin irritation

[Tracyree]

What could be causing this? No roosters. Tons of space. Not being picked on. Skin looks perfectly healthy. Looked at feather shafts under microscope and no mites. Her entire booty and belly are bald too

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like typical loss due to being mounted and/or plucked.

 

[Tracyree]

Looks like typical loss due to being mounted and/or plucked.

No mounting. No rooster and I’ve watched hours and hours of camera footage looking for bullying among hens. I’m at a loss.

Entire bottom and belly are bald as well

 

[Eggcessive]

What is the exact age? Looks like feather picking. Has she been molting? With much feather loss, her feathers will not regrow until the next molt unless she is molting now. Feather picking can lead to vent pecking and cannibalism.

Feather loss and picking can be due to bullying, overmating, too little protein in the diet, over crowding, boredom from not getting out to free range, too many roosters, and some more aggressive breeds. I would increase the protein to 20% in a well balanced feed. Egg and a bit of tuna would be good treats in moderation.

 

[Eggcessive]

If bullying is a problem, this article on how to restore a low pecking order hen’s confidence is pretty interesting:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No mounting. No rooster and I’ve watched hours and hours of camera footage looking for bullying among hens. I’m at a loss.

Entire bottom and belly are bald as well

Hens will mount other hens, so you don't have to have a rooster to see that kind of feather damage on the back.

You may want to put saddles on all the hens to see if new feathers grow back in during molt. This will also minimize further damage.

See that they are eating a nutritionally balanced poultry feed, are drinking well and have grit and oyster shell free choice.

Having plenty of space can be helpful too, but sometimes the plucking and mounting can be a bad habit. Pinless Peepers may help deter the picking, not sure about the mounting, but it might curb that activity a bit.

Feathers that are worn off, frayed, battered, ratty looking and places where the feather shafts are still intact in the skin will not be replaced until the hens go through a molt.