Molting or something else?

[Virginiachickens]

Hi all, Is this patchy molt or something we should be concerned about? It started with her butt area and has now taken over her wings, chest, and looks awful. No one else is molting not even her twin sister. We are not seeing signs of pecking and they are outside all day long happy. No signs of mites either.

 

[Eggcessive]

Looks like molt. What is the age? Chickens molt around 16-18 months old at first, and then once a year thereafter. This is a common time for them to molt since many chickens are hatched in the spring in the US. Make sure to feed a balanced chicken feed, and offer some extra protein, such as what is in eggs. Here is some reading with pictures of molting:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/molting-what-is-it-and-how-to-help/

 

[Virginiachickens]

That might be their age, I am not exactly sure. Glad to hear it looks like molt! They get Purina layers crumbles plus sunflower seeds and meal worms and whatever they forage, plus our kitchen fruits and veggie scraps.

What worried me is that this has not been the 'predictable order' like that article and others have said - hers started in the butt, now is in the wings/chest.

 

[Eggcessive]

Each chicken may molt differently. Mine usually lose feathers on neck and chest, but whenever you see large patches come out, that is usually molting. Some, you may not be able to tell if they are molting except for losing tail feathers.

 

[nuthatched]

Switch to a high protein feed for awhile and reduce the boss and mealworms.

 

[Nomibird]

Mine usually molt slowly and one at a time. Once went almost 3 months with hardly any eggs. This year, however, they are all together molting heavily and look much like yours. We had a few cold days here in Arkansas and I felt rather sorry for them though buffs and austrolorps are hardy.