I have a hidden cockerel!!!! Girls are getting beat up...."UPDATE PICS

[k2chickens]

a few quick pics i took today

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Molting??

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Looks like my girls did when they were getting picked and their feathers were starting to grow back. You'll have to spend time watching them to see if that is the case. Like I said, the ones with no feathers missing are most likely going to be your culprits.

 

[turtlebird]

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That's my guess also. Feather eaters are horrible horrible birds to deal with. Remove the offender(s) before they teach the whole flock how yummy feathers are.

 

[SugarDuck]

Are you sure they are not molting? I know they should be too young for that but it sure does look like chickens that are molting?

 

[k2chickens]

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can't be...they are only 8 to 9 months old

 

[sonew123]

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can't be...they are only 8 to 9 months old

not too early to moult I had a few 8 months old molt really bad too-but they are lookers now

 

[Kittymomma]

I agree that they could be going thru a mini-molt at that age, but my early molters seem to get all ragedy around their neck and chest area first. The bald backs look more like feather eating/ aggression to me. I read the first part of this thread the other day when it was first posted, but now I can't remember if you mentioned how much room they have in the coop and run. If it's a bit tight that could explain why you have a few that are being ornery. Also, what are you feeding them? Feather eating (as opposed to picking) is often the result of not enough protien in their diet. Ok, now that I asked all those questions I'm going to go reread the first part of this to see if you already answerd them...should of just cancled my post and done that first.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
can't be...they are only 8 to 9 months old

not too early to moult I had a few 8 months old molt really bad too-but they are lookers now

Agree. I had 2 molt last year at 9 months old.

That doesn't look like rooster damage to me. Looks like molting. (or feather picking but I suspect molting) The first area I notice on my girls for rooster mating is the top of their heads. They grab there to hold on and balance, and that's where I see the feathers disappear first on mating.

 

[shortstaque]

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Happy Chooks....Thanks for the link with pics!!!

K2.... good luck solving the problem. Hope its not picking.