Molting a little bit?

[FingerLakesChick]

I'm new to chicken raising. I have 11 hens and they're 8 months old. Pretty much all of them give me an egg per day, but I've noticed lately that 2 of them are quite bare of feathers on their bellies and their bottoms. It doesn't appear that the missing feathers are due to pecking, in fact they look quite healthy. Is this perhaps due to molting? Or do I need to be worried that something sinister is going on?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[okiechick57]

do you happen to have a picture..............that would be really helpful.......

 

[jjthink]

They may indeed be molting - wish they could tell us why they see fit to do this in January in cold territory! It would be good to rule out parasites though, if you haven't already.
JJ

 

[FingerLakesChick]

Oh geeeeeze!! I hope they don't have parasites!! How can I tell? My gut is telling me that they're parasite free because they are spotlessly clean. I'm obsessive compulsive about keeping their coop, them and their run clean. What are the signs of parasites? Would I see bugs crawling on them? These girls are lap chickens, wouldn't I see parasites? Eeeek!!

I can probably get a picture, but not until later this evening.

 

[Mulemom]

My girls are lap chickens too. They have been moulting "a little bit" for at least 6 weeks! How long should this last? They all got a bald spot on their backs right in front of their tails. Some just lost a few feathers and some of them have bald spots the size of softballs. Most are growing back in but a couple of them do not show any signs of new feathers. One of my Black Australorps has a bald head too! She is the only one that lost the feathers on her head, and I've been calling her my buzzard chicken. I have started feeding them cat chow and black oil sunflower seeds on the advise given to others here, but I am wondering how long a moult should last.

 

[Pinenot]

I would dust them with garden Seven. I would suspect little critters. Don't forget to dust their sleeping area

 

[FingerLakesChick]

I did a thorough investigation of all the ladies and I'm happy to report "NO CRITTERS!"

I think it's a mild molt for 2 out of 11 of the girls.
They're so pink underneathe!!