Pecking

[Ilovechickens2525]

This poor girl is missing half her neck feathers. We’ve had a huge snow storm and they haven’t gone outside much the past couple days (I’ve left their chicken door open to give them the option). Do you think it’s just from them pecking at her? They’ve never bothered her before, I didn’t think she was at the bottom of the pecking order. Poor girl, I feel bad for her.

 

[sourland]

To me it looks more like she is molting rather than being feather picked/plucked.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

She’s only about 9 months old though

 

[aart]

She’s only about 9 months old though

They can have a partial molt their first fall/winter.
Usually around the neck like shown.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

They can have a partial molt their first fall/winter.
Usually around the neck like shown.

Oh really?! Ok, whew, that’s probably what it is then as she isn’t laying eggs at all right now either, so that would explain that.

 

[aart]

Oh really?! Ok, whew, that’s probably what it is then as she isn’t laying eggs at all right now either, so that would explain that.

Yeppers!!

 

[happy hacker]

Yeah, it more looks like she is moulting, after a while she will look really ill due to how the new feathers are coming through. But its normal and she will be fine. As she is only young, this should be her first big moult and her new adult feathers should be coming through.
Moulting will cause her to stop laying as her body will be using the energy to produce the egg towards producing feathers.

 

[aart]

Yeah, it more looks like she is moulting, after a while she will look really ill due to how the new feathers are coming through. But its normal and she will be fine. As she is only young, this should be her first big moult and her new adult feathers should be coming through.
Moulting will cause her to stop laying as her body will be using the energy to produce the egg towards producing feathers.

She already has her adult feathers, this is a partial molt as explained above.