Is this molting???

[familyofellchicks]

Today I noticed 3 of our girls apparently losing feathers. They are only our Easter Eggers. The other 5 seem fine. All girls live in the same run and share a hen house. It seems rather sudden. Possibly started in the past 48-72 hours at most.

All the girls are around 7 months old. We've recently had cold stormy weather relative to our are but the past several days have been unseasonably warm.

I checked for mites and other creepy crawlies and didn't notice anything. I did notice some of the girls seem to peck some of the feathers off. But they didn't seem to mind, and I figured that's a normal chicken thing.

They all have food, clean water, oyster shells, etc available. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[sourland]

Flock mates are feather pecking/plucking them.

 

[familyofellchicks]

Flock mates are feather pecking/plucking them.

Do you know why? They've been together since they were day olds and it's never been an issue before?

 

[sourland]

Have they been locked in the coop with the change in weather ? Feather plucking can be an indicator of low protein level in feed, but in my experience it has been more frequently triggered by over crowding and boredom.

 

[familyofellchicks]

Have they been locked in the coop with the change in weather ? Feather plucking can be an indicator of low protein level in feed, but in my experience it has been more frequently triggered by over crowding and boredom.

No they hung out primarily outside in the rain or under the eave of the house. Any suggestions on helping with boredom?

 

[sourland]

Flock blocks, hanging cabbage heads - anything that they can peck at.

 

[MissE]

Are they enjoying the attention of a rooster? Some of my rooster's favorites look like that.

 

[familyofellchicks]

Are they enjoying the attention of a rooster? Some of my rooster's favorites look like that.

No, no roosters in this flock.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Add some clutter if you don't already have some. Keeps the birds busy and provides hiding places for picked on birds. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[aart]

Add some clutter if you don't already have some. Keeps the birds busy and provides hiding places for picked on birds. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

This^^^

Plus... how big is your coop and run, in feet by feet, for how many birds?
Dimensions and pics of it all might really help here.