Is this feather pecking?

[JodyJo]

Can anyone tell me if this is just boredom and feather pecking, its only 2 of my girls...they free range, so no reason to be pecking each other as I see it.
They look really bad, they are not molting, they are only about 10 months old.

 

[nivtup]

Looks like molting from my view.

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
aren't they too young? I thought the first molt was like at 18 months?

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
aren't they too young? I thought the first molt was like at 18 months?

While the first molt is usually after their first full year, in late summer or fall, chickens can molt most any time of the year. That is new feather growth, after a molt......Pop

 

[CMV]

http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

Looks like a mini molt to me, too.

Good luck.

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
aren't they too young? I thought the first molt was like at 18 months?

While the first molt is usually after their first full year, in late summer or fall, chickens can molt most any time of the year. That is new feather growth, after a molt......Pop

ok then...I was worried they were being pecked at...they have free range of over 300+ acres, if they choose....so I would have been at wits end if they had been "bored"!

 

[cmom]

They are molting. That is their feathers starting to come back in. During their first year they will molt a few times. Some molts you will notice and other you won't except you will see feathers.

 

[thebanthams]

Looks like molt. Feather picking breaks in half and sometimes bleeding...

 

[Judy]

Somewhere I read there is often or usually a mini molt around 9 months, and I have seen this with mine several times. That is definitely the way feathers look when coming back in after a molt, and not the way they would look if it were feather picking or heavy pecking.

Very good pics -- they definitely tell the story.

 

[theoldchick]

Yep, molting. Heres a photo of a 9 month Jersey Giant pullet:

Seemed to happen over night and progress rapidly. Since my entire flock are the same age, it appears I have a bunch of naked-neck-wannabes in my group! Not attractive at all!