[R_A_W]

My hybrid, Mavis (about 2 years old), has started to lose her feathers on her breast area. She doesn't appear to be in any pain when I touch her, laying well and appears otherwise healthy.  Her breast is a little pink though.  I've looked in the bed area for red mite, although there doesn't seem to be any problems I will dust each bird and the coop just in case. Do hybrids go into moult?

Mavis has a perch in her bed area but she prefers to cuddle up on the floor instead. Could that have anything to do with it?

[ANHBUC]

Red mite feed on the birds on a night so you rarely see them during the day.  They will hide under the roost bar and in any cracks in the wood.  If you run a piece of white paper in the cracks and under the perch you will get blood on the paper if you have them.

Joyful posted yesterday saying that the ammonia in their poo can cause feather loss so if she is sleeping where she poos, yes it can cause it.

If it is molt you should be able to see the new feather quills coming through her skin soon.

[splash101]

Is she showing any signs of going broody? They'll pluck their breast feathers ready for sitting on eggs.

[R_A_W]

No signs of broodiness (not yet anyway)!
She does sleep where she poops but the poop is always cleaned out of the bedding area every day.
I will run the paper through the cracks in the coop and see what happens.

[ANHBUC]

You could give her a luke warm bath in case it is the ammonia causing it.  She will love it, gently towel dry afterwards and finish off with a hairdryer on a cool setting.  Make sure she is dried thoroughly if the weather is cold.

[R_A_W]

Checked the coop for red mite using the paper down the cracks - no blood at all. She still seems perfectly happy - I'll see how she goes for a couple of days and then perhaps give her a little bath (but I'm pretty sure she'll hate it!)

[ANHBUC]

Checked the coop for red mite using the paper down the cracks - no blood at all. She still seems perfectly happy - I'll see how she goes for a couple of days and then perhaps give her a little bath (but I'm pretty sure she'll hate it!)

I thought that about mine but they really do like it.