This is my first backyard flock, so maybe I’m overreacting, but two of my 8 month old girls are doing what appears to be a mini-molt. One is a Black Star/Black Sex Link and the other is a Gold Star/Red Sex Link. The black one is about two or three weeks older than the other one, not that I think that makes a difference. Still, I’m just worried because everything I’ve read says that chickens can’t molt before a year old, and yet both of these two are losing feathers around their neck (the black one also has some lose feathers along her back I noticed). The black one still has pin feathers, and the gold one has absolutely no feathers at all around the affected area. I don’t think they’re stressed (although the gold one is the runt of the litter), and neither of them are bleeding which makes me think it’s not bullying or self-pecking… I’m just worried because it’s a few days after Christmas and it’s averaging less than 20 degree weather where I am. Is it mites or a pseudo molt? I feel like since I have a flock of six, then if it were mites than the other girls would have it too, right?
Hope this is a pretty good description of my dilemma, so please help!
Hope this is a pretty good description of my dilemma, so please help!