Feather picking, molting, mites???

[w8ing4eggs]

I've been assuming my girls' "bald spots" are from one of the other hens...what do you think? They are about 9 months old and we have NOT seen a drop in egg production...usually get 7 or 8 eggs from 8 hens.
This bantam RIR has a lot of feathers around her tail missing. She was the second hen to have feathers missing and has actually been bloody. The next three are also Little Red Hen.








This one is a bantam named Buffy - she was the first to have feathers missing. She's not the lowest on the pecking order, and she has actually picked on one of the other, bigger girls! Her missing feathers on the back of the neck. The next photo is of her...it's hard to get a shot of her missing feathers as the area is not as bald as the others'.




This is the latest victim. She has a large patch on her bottom. I just noticed it yesterday! It's very clean and not as sore looking as the other two.





Help! If it were mites would I see them? I do not! We are adding on to our coop in case they are too crowded. It's currently 8X8, but we are adding another 8X8 section...we are going to separate the "injured" birds.

 

[Kikiriki]

Molt does not start at the tail, so that is out. It also does not cause bleeding.

Are their combs/wattles/ears normal colors, or whitish?

If whitish, it may be mites, if normal, it seems you have a feather picker. Try increasing protein (make them egg white scramble) and if you have them under lights, put red ones in until wounds are healed.

Are they getting out to scratch fresh areas? If weather is keeping them in, make or buy a high protein chicken toy.

Good luck....

 

[w8ing4eggs]

Thanks...that's what I was thinking...a feather picker! They are all still nice and red (combs and wattles). No lights. They are still getting out of the coop, just not every day. We've had some predator issues. I've provided then a block of seed to help, but I guess that's not enough! I hope it will help to give them more room!

Thanks for your help!

 

[sunflour]

This looks like feather picking. Giving them more room can help, but when confined won't stop it. Spray the areas with scabs with BluKote, to keep them from pecking those.

There's a long running thread on feather picking:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...le-cure-for-feather-picking/640#post_14501551

No one has really found the miracle, but everyone keeps trying.