Missing Feathers??

[Oogie88]

Hello! I’d appreciate some advice. Almost overnight my hen’s feathers were missing from her back. I thought it was aggressive hen pecking. I showed it to the local feed store and they suggested it was a fungus and recommended Blu Kote. I’ve been spraying this now for 3 days...I am not sure if it even is fungus. Can anyone help me identify this? She is a Russian Orloff, born end of March. She is also missing her neck/wattle feathers (beard). Those have been missing for some time now. Thanks for the help!

 

[Oogie88]

I apologize, several of the same photos uploaded!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Do you have a Rooster?

@casportpony @azygous @dawg53 @aart @Wyorp Rock

 

[Oogie88]

No rooster! Just a bunch of ladies and not possible for a rooster to be anywhere nearby. They’re in a locked up coop and run in the middle of downtown Seattle

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. That looks like feather picking/plucking to me.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Just guessing ... could be a "jr" molt? Blu Kote is an antiseptic/anti-fungal, won't hurt to use. Have you seen her being pecked on?

 

[Oogie88]

Just guessing ... could be a "jr" molt? Blu Kote is an antiseptic/anti-fungal, won't hurt to use. Have you seen her being pecked on?

Thank you. No, have not observed any aggressive behavior from anyone. Happened overnight, I’m pretty sure.

 

[Oogie88]

Welcome to BYC. That looks like feather picking/plucking to me.

Thank you! I thought so too. It it all happened so fast.

 

[Oogie88]

I should also mention there were feathers missing underneath a layer of feathers, so, I thought to rule out plucking.

 

[azygous]

There is another reason why feathers can suddenly go missing so cleanly from a chicken's back. Hawk attack.

Had this hen been out free ranging before you noticed this bald back? I had a young hen survive a hawk attack, and I know it was a hawk because she was just outside my bedroom slider when the attack happened. Feathers exploded everywhere, and I was sure I'd just lost a hen.