Help - Molting or aggressive behaviour? Pics included

[newhenstein castle]

This lady Wellsummer is having some issues.

She, like some of the others, has frazzled bottoms and have lost most of their feathers. All are laying well. Except that this Wellie had a dusty looking egg today and the 'dust' wasn't dust just a rough egg with discoloration making it look like it was rolled in DE.
I had her in quarantine for a couple of days but she doesn't show symptoms of being sick otherwise. The nasty scabs you can see below is the main reason why I quarantined her. What IS that?? I have never seen this happen during molting. Plus since they are all laying are they actually molting? I don't see very many feathers laying around either. It is spring here in the PNW btw. There are new feathers coming in.

As for the scabs they are positioned on either side of her rear. They are thick! The ends are coming off with clean skin underneath. There are no lice or mites as far as I can see. But maybe I am not able to see them?

None of the others are plagued with these scabs. And my buffies aren't even losing feathers.

Now this could all be molting in the 'seriousest' of ways and I just never paid attention what goes on underneath the fluff. But it might just be a disease you might know off. Or worse, and this is my fear I am worried that I have a dominant hen that eats feathers. There are literally NONE laying around!! What do you think?


Thanks for looking.

 

[sourland]

Do you have a rooster with your hens? One or more of your hens may be feather plucking/eating, but that looks like damage caused by a rooster's toenails or spurs.

 

[newhenstein castle]

No rooster. But a dominant hen. I can't find feathers anywhere. I think she is hurting this and two other hens. The big buff orpingtons seem to only be missing feathers around the neck.
If that is the case what am I to do?

 

[sourland]

Separation from the flock to lower her position might help, but most likely after some strife she would just work her way to the top of the pecking order. Pinless peepers might curb her aggressive behavior - they are unsightly but effective.

 

[newhenstein castle]

Ok. It is official. I sat on the porch with binoculars and watched. The buffy and the dominant hen a speckled sussex, a favorite with my kids, are the ones plucking and gobbeling up feathers. Separated them and will give them away to a flock with a rooster.

I am so mad, I had nightmares about killing chickens. The poor things. I hope they will recover.