Please tell me this is ANYTHING except mites or other bugs...

[Baumshell28]

So, I have one out of 12 girls that has an area on her chest where lots of the big “red” feathers have been pulled/picked/pecked out, leaving just the underlying down. As I sat & watched, I saw her pecking & preening the area & I saw one of my Barred Rocks (she’s the bully) peck at the area as she walked past. When she went into the coop, I took the chance to grab her. We’ve had tons of rain these last 2 weeks (way more than usual), and tons of mud. As I checked the area out, there were no bugs crawling around, or colonizing around the skin or base of the feathers. Why would she have mud just in this area? And why packed in so tightly? Why the feather loss? Just collateral damage from trying to preen out the tightly packed dirt & mud? Is this really a type of bug issue even without me finding evidence of mites or fleas or something else??
Thanks in advance for the help & advice!

 

[Baumshell28]

Also, sorry I wasn’t able to get better quality pics...

 

[Baumshell28]

 

[William Mellor15]

hmm, sometimes chickens just pull out their feathers to keep them nice and tidy or if they're becoming clucky, but not usually like this... I bought 3 young isa browns a couple of months ago and I noticed just below their tail they had the same issue. They're fine now tho. I don't think it's much to worry about at this stage, keep us updated if it continues, if it does I'd say separate her and see how it goes.

 

[William Mellor15]

And also it may be muddy either cuz she's been having a dust bath or laying down in the mud, usually their feathers will keep it from sticking to them but without the feathers the mud sticks easily

 

[pennyJo1960]

The photos are very hard to read, stand back a bit might help if it was bugs like fleas it would look like blood when it was wet.

Was she starting to go broody ? they do pull feathers

 

[Baumshell28]

I think tomorrow, I’ll grab my large black mixing tub & give them a temporary dry dust bath inside the coop. I’ll throw in sand, potting soil, wood ash & DE. That way at least they’ll have something to use until the run dries up some more. I see something similar to nest box wars in my near future, Pahahaha!!!

 

[Tonyroo]

When you get a chance separate the fluff and look at the condition of her skin.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I think tomorrow, I’ll grab my large black mixing tub & give them a temporary dry dust bath inside the coop. I’ll throw in sand, potting soil, wood ash & DE. That way at least they’ll have something to use until the run dries up some more. I see something similar to nest box wars in my near future, Pahahaha!!!

Make sure if she is broody she does not need that

 

[Baumshell28]

The photos are very hard to read, stand back a bit might help if it was bugs like fleas it would look like blood when it was wet.

Was she starting to go broody ? they do pull feathers

None of my 12 have shown any signs of broodiness. As of yet, they’re all of the mindset of being foot loose & fancy free...absolutely no interest in being “Barefoot & Pregnant”, lol!