Losing feathers

[denasl]

One of my two girls has been losing a good amount of feathers on her chest. This happened to both of them a month or two ago, but I changed their feed and gave them a lot of protein to supplement since I caught one of them eating her feathers, and things seemed to improve.

It’s happening again with one (not the other), and I’m not sure what to do. I’m giving them both black oil sunflower seeds, I haven’t seen any evidence of mites, and am otherwise at a loss. Does anyone have any advice??

 

[DobieLover]

I’m giving them both black oil sunflower seeds

This is a fat source, not a protein source.
What is their main diet? What is the percent protein on the tag?
Have you seen any feather picking?
If they are always permitted to free range, I doubt it's boredom causing feather picking.

 

[denasl]

This is a fat source, not a protein source.
What is their main diet? What is the percent protein on the tag?
Have you seen any feather picking?
If they are always permitted to free range, I doubt it's boredom causing feather picking.

Oops!

Their feed is 16% protein. I don’t think they are big eaters of their feed, however - they free range all day and rarely go back to their feeder.

I have not seen any feather picking. They are free range.