This evening, we saw one of our chickens repeatedly raising up her back feathers to scratch with her beak at a specific spot that had a noticeable white bump. See photos. This is on her lower back, just up from the tail. Other than seeming irritated by the spot, she seems to be healthy and doing well with no other symptoms. Today was the first time we noticed the bump or the scratching. One of her flock-mates has lost a bunch of feathers from the back of her neck, starting 1-2 weeks ago. I assumed she was just molting early (looks like molting), but I'm mentioning it in case it's potentially a sign of a flock-wide skin problem.
Both birds are Easter Eggers, 1 year 8 months old. I can't comment on the laying pattern of any one chicken, but the overall flock laying is normal. They share a coop with pine bedding. The birds have free range of our backyard, with plenty of space for dust bathing including a fire pit where they love to roll around in the ashes.
I would appreciate any suggestions or advice about what this might be and any steps we should take to keep the flock healthy.
Both birds are Easter Eggers, 1 year 8 months old. I can't comment on the laying pattern of any one chicken, but the overall flock laying is normal. They share a coop with pine bedding. The birds have free range of our backyard, with plenty of space for dust bathing including a fire pit where they love to roll around in the ashes.
I would appreciate any suggestions or advice about what this might be and any steps we should take to keep the flock healthy.
