Is she molting, getting pecked or sick?

[Rick&Chris]

Some of my girls went thru a hard molt, one has pin feathers on her head currently. This girl has looked like this for a few weeks. I can’t tell if she is molting, she’s being picked on or is there something else going on? She has some tiny red marks near her vent, which I couldn’t get a photo of without assistance and I noticed an egg the other day with some small blood streaks on the shell (I assume it’s from her). She is eating fine and I assume drinking.

EDIT: We just got a rooster but she was like this before we got him, so it’s not rooster damage (and he’s not mating with them yet, that I have seen).

Thoughts? Thanks in advance!!

 

[aart]

Could be both molting and pecking.
The pin feathers on their heads cannot be preened, so take longer to unfurl.

 

[RobotJINI]

I know my rooster will peck those feathers out

 

[Rick&Chris]

I know my rooster will peck those feathers out

She was like this before we got the rooster

 

[Cragg Klefor]

She was like this before we got the rooster

Hi @Rick&Chris
I would use a good strong torch to inspect the feathers around her vent, under her wings and her earlobes for tiny mites and lice once she is roosting for the night. It sounds to me like this could be her issue.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Hi @Rick&Chris
I would use a good strong torch to inspect the feathers around her vent, under her wings and her earlobes for tiny mites and lice once she is roosting for the night. It sounds to me like this could be her issue.

Will do, thanks. Wouldn’t they all look like her if it is mites?

 

[coach723]

Wouldn’t they all look like her if it is mites?

Not necessarily, mites will often find one bird, a few, or all, you never know.
It looks like pecking to me, and pecks around the vent are commonly caused on the roosts at night. You may have a bully, or you may have an overcrowding issue. One bird can make a big difference when it comes to space, some like lots of space and will be pretty adamant about demanding it.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Not necessarily, mites will often find one bird, a few, or all, you never know.
It looks like pecking to me, and pecks around the vent are commonly caused on the roosts at night. You may have a bully, or you may have an overcrowding issue. One bird can make a big difference when it comes to space, some like lots of space and will be pretty adamant about demanding it.

Thanks, @aart. I have two roosting bars, they all squeeze in on one. This spring I am thinking about re-doing the set up in there, but I’m not quite sure how to arrange it. The inside is approx 7 x 7.

This may be a silly question, but if they are all side by side, how would her vent get pecked?

 

[aart]

This may be a silly question, but if they are all side by side, how would her vent get pecked?

May not have happened on the roost.
May not be a pecking wound.
Hard to say.

 

[Rick&Chris]

May not have happened on the roost.
May not be a pecking wound.
Hard to say.

Ok, thanks. I’m going to make another post to see what is recommended for new roosting bar locations in my coop.