What the heck?

[Vikinglike]

One of my Gold Laced Wyandottes looked like this today. She’s acting fine, but it looks like she’s lost feathers around her face and back of the neck?
Thanks!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Could she be molting or been attacked by something like a raccoon that grabs the head?
Do you have a rooster?

 

[Vikinglike]

No rooster...
I’m new to all this, but does it look like feathers were pulled out, or is it new feathers coming in?
I’m a little confused...
Thanks!

 

[micstrachan]

She’s molting. Perfectly normal. She might feel lousy and be a bit skittish. My girls starve themselves when they molt, so make sure she has access to feed even around higher ranked birds. She might also like a protein treat like scrambled egg or (unsalted) sardines.

 

[micstrachan]

Her feathers probably FELL out. Those things that look like porcupine quills are pin feathers.

 

[Vikinglike]

She’s molting. Perfectly normal. She might feel lousy and be a bit skittish. My girls starve themselves when they molt, so make sure she has access to feed even around higher ranked birds. She might also like a protein treat like scrambled egg or (unsalted) sardines.

Thank you!!!!

 

[sourland]

Heavy late season molt. She will be fine and rapidly feather in.

 

[Chickenlover0810]

molting

 

[CalBickieMomma]

My older (6 yrs) Barred Rock hen molted all her upper back neck feathers this past fall, and she looked sort of like yours (only more feathers gone). Not sure why, because up until last year she would lose them over time so it wasn’t so obvious she was molting. Since I saw all the new feathers starting to come in, I wasn’t worried. Yours looks similar - I can see a bunch of new feathers getting ready to grow in where the old ones were lost. Hoping it’s just a case of spontaneous molting and nothing worse .