Is any amount of feather loss normal for non-molting chickens?

[Auburnchick]

Please forgive my extreme ignorance.

I've only had my girls a few weeks! A friend of mine got baby chicks in the spring and has been giving away "extras," so I got five of hers. They are all laying eggs now. I've noticed a few feathers in the run over the last week or two, and one of my ladies has had a few feathers that looked "loose," like they were about to fall out. Is this typical, or does it mean that she is starting to molt? I wasn't expecting them to molt until next fall since they were hatched this spring.

 

[gritsar]

How old are they? What part of the body are the feathers coming from?

 

[Auburnchick]

They were all hatched in the spring, in either March or April (they were in two batches, and I have no idea which of mine came from which batch), so either 6 or 7 months old? The "loose" looking feathers are in the tail area. They are all very active and seem otherwise healthy (to my admittedly very inexperienced eyes). I don't notice them pecking at each other much...and the one that has had some loose feathers is near the top of the pecking order anyway.

 

[gritsar]

Typically they start molting from the head back. It's not uncommon for a pullet to go through a mini-molt their first year, but again from the head back.

I assume you don't have a rooster that could be damaging her feathers during mating. I would check for mites. If mite free, then unless you see excessive pecking and as long as she continues to behave normally and healthy I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Auburnchick]

No roosters here! Should I check the hen house for mites or the birds themselves?