Young Buff Polish Pullets Losing Crests...?

[Sukiyaki]

The two are best friends and would never peck each other. They're thirteen weeks old. They live in an enclosure with six other, much smaller polish chicks (whom they bully just a bit lol).

They're not completely bald, but their crests are thinning and looka little ragged.
Could this be because they are maturing into hens or are they sick?

I'm new to this whole chicken thing but I love my precious pets!

Thank you!

 

[mypicklebird]

They could be molting, look for new feathers coming in. And chickens that grow up together usually get along, but not always! A pair that best friends as chicks, may not stay that way.... someone always is the hen pecked lower dominance bird, and someone is the top. The two may be trying to establish who is top bird.

Also inspect for mites and lice if the feathers are ragged.

Are they on a good diet> What do you feed?

 

[Sukiyaki]

They're on high quality grower, right now.

The larger one seems to be getting it's crest back, now, but the smaller one still looks about the same.

I think maybe they're just molting, but boy did they look scary for a while!


Thanks for you help!