Is seasonal cheek fluff okay?

[TinyRaptorDodos]

Couldn’t find any other threads on this… my Easter egger, Pepper, sheds her cheek fluff when it’s warmer out but grows it back in the winter, is this normal? I got her from Kens Garden Center and she was one of my three EEs, none of them have ever shed it, I sold Salt awhile ago due to agression towards new flock members but I still have Garlic and she hasn’t had it happen either.

Is it because she’s my black EE? Is this something I should be concerned about or is it totally fine?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I can’t say if molting of muffs alone occurs in some EE, but my girl (8 month old black EE from McM) still has full beard and muffs despite seasonal change; she has not yet been through a real molt thought, being young.
How old is your EE?

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

I can’t say if molting of muffs alone occurs in some EE, but my girl (8 month old black EE from McM) still has full beard and muffs despite seasonal change; she has not yet been through a real molt thought, being young.
How old is your EE?

She just turned a year old in march. She didn’t molt at all when she lost her beard but then molted about a month ago and then grew it back with the rest of her feathers. I checked for any sign of irritation that ut was plucked out but there was none, just fell out when it warmed up abs grew back with a molt when it cooled off.
I also have somewhat of a black EE, fully black half lavender orp half Amuracana but she’s too young so she hasn’t molted yet, she’s also about eight months old

 

[aart]

I can’t say if molting of muffs alone occurs in some EE

I've never herd of it....but muffs are often preened away by flock mates.
Then they grow back during molt.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Her beard is probably getting plucked. I've seen it happen a lot in my mixed flocks. In fact, the most impressive beard in my flock just left a month or so ago due to a sudden beard plucker. It can be due to boredom or a nutrient deficiency.

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

I've never herd of it....but muffs are often preened away by flock mates.
Then they grow back during molt.

Her beard is probably getting plucked. I've seen it happen a lot in my mixed flocks. In fact, the most impressive beard in my flock just left a month or so ago due to a sudden beard plucker. It can be due to boredom or a nutrient deficiency.

I was thinking that but there is no irritation or any other flock plucking, she’s also kind of none existent in the pecking order until we get a new flock mate the she’s in third place in it, my girls are not agressive either, I’ve sold any that are, and I have silkies who have never gotten plucked

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I was thinking that but there is no irritation or any other flock plucking, she’s also kind of none existent in the pecking order until we get a new flock mate the she’s in third place in it, my girls are not agressive either, I’ve sold any that are, and I have silkies who have never gotten plucked

I often don't see any irritation and usually don't see who's doing the plucking. Some of these birds it doesn't matter where they are in the pecking order. (Sometimes it does, but not always.) Sometimes it can the nicest hen in the flock who's doing it. They think they're 'helping' the hen by plucking the beard (I think the hens think they're helping clean their face sometimes.).

 

[aart]

I was thinking that but there is no irritation or any other flock plucking, she’s also kind of none existent in the pecking order until we get a new flock mate the she’s in third place in it, my girls are not agressive either, I’ve sold any that are, and I have silkies who have never gotten plucked

It's not about aggression or 'bullying'.
I've seen the plucked bird(s) stand still and allow it to happen.
The exposed skin was rarely red with irritation.
Have also seen this happen with non muffed birds, like my male who allowed the feathers on the front of his neck be plucked down to a rather large bare spot.

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

I often don't see any irritation and usually don't see who's doing the plucking. Some of these birds it doesn't matter where they are in the pecking order. (Sometimes it does, but not always.) Sometimes it can the nicest hen in the flock who's doing it. They think they're 'helping' the hen by plucking the beard (I think the hens think they're helping clean their face sometimes.).

Thats actually kind of funny as long as it’s not something that will cause damage over time. It could’ve been Salt now that I think about it, she’s always been the agressive ripping feathers off other hens one, which is why I no longer have her. But I think it did happen when all of them were closed up in the coop due to cold feather, which is why I’m expanding to the coop AND barn this year since I have more then I did last year

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

It's not about aggression or 'bullying'.
I've seen the plucked bird(s) stand still and allow it to happen.
The exposed skin was rarely red with irritation.
Have also seen this happen with non muffed birds, like my male who allowed the feathers on the front of his neck be plucked down to a rather large bare spot.

That happened with my old rooster too and he was an agressive one, his back was almost bare and his tail thinned so much. I guess that means it doesn’t hurt them? I think if it did Pepper would be more jumpy around them but she’s not, she’s actually more like cinnamon now that I think about it, Cinnamon was my first hen and is now three or four years old