Molting Question

[crazyfeathers]

[/U Sorry I do not have a picture but I can take one tomorrow. I have an adult white rock for the last 3 weeks she has been missing all of the feathers on her breast. Today I noticed all the feathers are gone on her breast and a bit lower it also appears a bit red. Is this a normal molt or something else. I check my girls weekly for mites and didn't see any
My other thought was broodiness do they lose their feathers when they go broody? I guess I haven't seen any evidence of that happening though. Thanks

 

[Judy]

Maybe she is about to go broody. They pluck their breast feathers when they are setting on eggs. Gives them better contact with the eggs -- more warmth and humidity. Some pluck more feathers than others. I've also heard of something in the environment occasionally rubbing the feathers off. Molting starts around the head and neck, and works its way down.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickens-loosing-feathers-managing-your-flocks-molt