molt or picking?

[embkm]

Is this feather loss due to molt, or is it feather picking? I don't actually see them picking each other, but there hasn't really been a drop in egg production either. I still get 4-6 egg per day from 6 hens and about 4 guinea eggs per week from my 1 guines hen from this pen. All of them have some degree of feather loss, except the guinea. The pics might not be the best.. they are from my cell phone and the hens weren't interested in posing for me.

I just realized this might be in the wrong section. Moderators please move it if it is. Thanks.

 

[CMV]

The skin seems quite red on that dark colored chicken. Have you checked for parasites? I'd be inclined to say that the feather loss is from picking because of the redness, but I'd also check them over for bugs.

 

[flakey chick]

Do you have a rooster? If so, they may be over-mated. Saddles could help. Parasites could also be an issue. Keep an eye on the redness of their wattles and combs (still looks pretty good to me). A really bad infestation will make them go pale.

 

[al6517]

They don't look like their molting to me, it looks like over mating and some pecking. If they were molting egg production would have fallen off.

AL

 

[embkm]

I've checked for mites and lice... both during the day and at night with a flashlight. I didn't see any crawly things.

I thought the little roo might have been picking them when mating when it was just at the back of their heads, but then on some of the hens there is loss on the front of their necks and all of them have loss around the vent and tail areas. Even the roo has had some tail feather loss. The BA is the worst one and is the only one whose skin is pinker than normal. But the camera made it look a little pinker than it is in real life. The guinea is the only one without feather loss. It is possible that she is picking, but she is the lowest on the pecking order. I am just confused about what to do. It doesn't seem to be bothering them, but they look horrible and I feel bad.

Any suggestions on what I should do?