Molting or something else?

[aart]

Probably feather picking....but....
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree with @aart. It looks like plucking.

 

[SnootyHen]

Probably feather picking....but....
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

I wondered if it might be feather picking but I'll check when the sun goes down tonight with a flashlight. Thank you!! This is great information to have even if not for this time.

 

[SnootyHen]

So checking last night and this morning and I see no bugs of any kind on the chicken or the roost. I do have one bossy pullet who likes to intimidate the others and I'm wondering if either she plucked them way back and they just haven't grown back, or the stress from her caused my Wyandotte to pick her own feathers. I've been taking time to be sure she gets to eat treats and keep the bully in line a little better and see if that helps. Any other ideas?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would add another roost if you have room.

 

[SnootyHen]

I would add another roost if you have room.

I have 3 roosts and they all crowd on one Same with nesting boxes. I could have saved space and only built one. I was thinking of adding another roost in the run though, or maybe a step ladder or something else to get up on.

 

[CluckerFamily]

How far are the roosts from each other? Are they too close to allow for pecking if they try to separate?

 

[SnootyHen]

How far are the roosts from each other? Are they too close to allow for pecking if they try to separate?

No they're different heights and spaced apart so if one is on one of them, they can't reach the others. They just seem to like being together.