Missing Feathers

[Meldan]

We aren’t sure how to help one of our chickens. She has always been a little skittish and different from the others even as a young chick and we got all three at the same time. She went through an aggressive stage last winter where she was attacking the most docile hen. We ended up putting her in quarantine for a few days and that seemed to fix it. Then she started losing all of her feathers on her head and comb seemed to get a little bigger and redder.

Now she is missing feathers all over her chest as well as under her wings and the insides of her legs. There are not many feathers laying around in the coop. Just one or two here and there. There are none in the nesting box and she doesn’t seem broody. The other two hens don’t seem to be picking on her at all and we do not have a rooster. She doesn’t look uncomfortable and we haven’t personally seen her pulling her feathers out. The other two hens have all their feathers and seem normal.

What could be causing this and what should we do? We appreciate any advice.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Feather loss on the back of a head is generally always from being plucked.

I'd dust her with a Permethrin based poultry dust just in case she has lice or mites.

Feathers are broken and or plucked out, these won't be replaced until molt.

If you aren't finding feathers laying around, observe the others to see if they are plucking and eating the feathers, this may be happening during roosting.