Missing feathers on eight month old Welsummer.

[notabitail]

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This is Gaby, an eight month old Welsummer. She is missing a lot of feathers. Is this something to be worried about? Could she be molting? What exactly is going on here?

 

[CCsGarden]

Dose anyone know what's going on with her??
Please help us!

Thank you.

 

[My Three Chicks]

It's difficult to make out in the photos but is it her belly area? If so she could be plucking them out herself as a sign of broodiness. Hens will often do that to be closer to the eggs wuth their warm bellies.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Has she laid any eggs? Have you found feathers around the coop? Are there other chickens? Have you checked for mites/lice?
Looks like she's doing the "feather plucking" of a broody ... It's all on her underside, have you noticed her sitting in the nest box? If she's free ranging, they're maybe a nest hidden somewhere.

 

[notabitail]

It's difficult to make out in the photos but is it her belly area? If so she could be plucking them out herself as a sign of broodiness. Hens will often do that to be closer to the eggs wuth their warm bellies.

They are in her belly area.

 

[CCsGarden]

They are in her belly area.

it's her whole body

 

[notabitail]

Has she laid any eggs? Have you found feathers around the coop? Are there other chickens? Have you checked for mites/lice?
Looks like she's doing the "feather plucking" of a broody ... It's all on her underside, have you noticed her sitting in the nest box? If she's free ranging, they're maybe a nest hidden somewhere.

She's laid plenty of eggs. I never pay attention to feathers around the coop. There are six other chickens.
I have noticed her sitting in a nesting box. She usually flares her hackles at me while laying. I felt under her once and noticed it but thought nothing of it until my sisters got all worried.

 

[CCsGarden]

Has she laid any eggs? Have you found feathers around the coop? Are there other chickens? Have you checked for mites/lice?
Looks like she's doing the "feather plucking" of a broody ... It's all on her underside, have you noticed her sitting in the nest box? If she's free ranging, they're maybe a nest hidden somewhere.

Yes she has been laying everyday, she "broods" the egg after laying it.
I have not noticed too many feathers anywhere

 

[CCsGarden]

I will post more VERY CLEAR pictures of her whole body

 

[My Three Chicks]

You've got a broody hen on your hands. Don't worry about the bare belly in itself. But unless you have a rooster and want to hatch chicks, you should break her broodiness if she's spending too much time in the nest box and not eating and drinking and doing normal chicken things.