Molting?

[Skiddlebean]

Could someone please help me? I can't decide if my year old barred rock hen is molting or if she has mites or something. She has looked like this for almost 5 months especially her bare neck. I thought she might have mites but i can't see any and she still has all of her feathers near her vent area as you can see in the last picture. Her neck is really bad and her back isn't as soft. Is she molting? Thanks!

 

[QueenMisha]

This is a feather-picking issue. You need to determine who is attacking her, and separate the aggressor somewhere she cannot see or interact with the flock. Keep him/her separate for about a week, and this will usually solve the problem. If s/he returns to picking once reintroduced, you can try pinless peepers; they are designed for use in highly cannibalistic gamebirds, and work by limiting the vision of the bird. If all else fails, cull.

In the meantime, you should apply a generous amount of Pick-No-More to the picked out hen's neck.