Moulting or something else?

[Madame Ovary]

Hi there BYC folk. I'm new to BYC, though I've been a lurker for some time, and this is my first post.

My Australorp x started to lose feathers on both wings about 2 months ago. One side is worse than the other and I've attached a photo to show the balder of the two sides. I've assumed this was a partial moult (she's about 1 year old now), but it seems to be dragging on for months and there have only been a couple of new feathers appear.

Additionally, the old feathers around the bald area are almost bare and are just down to the quill, and the skin is a little red (though not broken) around the bald area.

I was wondering if there was some other condition that could be causing this loss of feathers (a mite or some other parasite). Or maybe this is just a typical moult for a girl that hasn't gone through a full moult.

Otherwise, she is happy within herself, laying as normal and certainly has a great appetite (she the biggest guts out of our three).

 

[Pyxis]

Do you have a rooster? I have an EE hen that's a favorite of the rooster that gets that same baldness if she doesn't wear a saddle because the roo likes her so much.

 

[Madame Ovary]

Hi Pyxis,

No, we don't have a rooster.

We do have a confused Speckled Sussex that occasionally tries to mount her, though not often enough to wear her feathers out.