SEVERE PECKING?!?!?!

[rosemarysugar]

I have an 11 month old BROWN-RED Americauna (her name is Marigold) that has muffs and a beard (always very big and full) she is healthy and am pretty sure is not molting.
Anyway.. I was letting my girls free rang and I picked up Marigold and ALL of her beard and a lot but not not all of her muff fluff is gone!! All of her other feathers are fine. It is not bloody or anything like that.
I don't know how that could be pecking.

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

 

[pwiker]

Pecking in one area like that should produce some scratches and cuts in the skin. I would venture to say that the feathers are coming out for some other reason like Diet problems or something to that effect. Another thing that you may want to look at is if her neck is rubbing on something when she's eating. For example if you have a feeder with a sharp edge or is too high for her to reach.