Hen losing feathers!

[cbrooks]

Hi all,
I'm new to raising chickens and concerned about one of our hens. She's losing ALOT of feathers, especially around her rear and near her wings with a little on the top of her head. She's just barely over a year old. There are only four and they are rotated between little paddocks. They have more then enough room, have a balanced diet and I haven't noticed any pecking..ever. Our Great Pyrenees also keeps predators to pretty much zero. I've considered that she may be molting but she has lots of feathers broken off mid-shaft. Is that normal? There was a bunch of feathers in her dust bath today. Any advice? Thanks!

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Do you have a rooster?
If she was molting there would be pin feathers where the old feathers were

 

[cbrooks]

No, we don't have a rooster. I don't see any pin feathers yet (not sure how long it takes to see them), but I also don't see any creepy crawlies on her. Her skin is slightly pink but not what I'd consider inflamed. Could it be lice or mites? Wouldn't I be able to see them?

 

[Violetsfeathers]

No, we don't have a rooster. I don't see any pin feathers yet (not sure how long it takes to see them), but I also don't see any creepy crawlies on her. Her skin is slightly pink but not what I'd consider inflamed. Could it be lice or mites? Wouldn't I be able to see them? 

I thought you had a rooster because it sounds like over mating. Maybe the other hens are picking her feathers out. You might have to separate her until she gets all her feathers back.