Bald breasts

[mum of 4]

Hello,
I have 2 speckledies who have both been pecking the feathers out of their breasts. There is a marked bald spot on Coke and Pepsi just looks a bit tatty. I have recently covered them in louse powder as there were a few around their vent but nothing too alarming. However I have never seen lice on their breasts. I occasionally find a feather but not often so someone in the run is eating them.
The 2 light sussex have perfectly feathered breasts.
All 4 hens have pellets, grit and greens available all day. and water obviously!
They are both healthy otherwise, laying well and free ranging happily. They dust bath whenever they can find a dry spot under the hedge (not easy at the moment) and there is some old compost in their run if they want to use it.
They are not broody and come out quite happily - even today they are out and about and it is teeming down! Silly things are looking very damp!
Any ideas anyone??
Thanks
(I'll try and get a picture uploaded later)

 

[chrismahon]

That's the sign of going broody as you rightly say Mumof4. If it's not due to lice I am at a loss. Are the others pulling out wet feathers?

 

[Marigold]

How big is their run, in relation to the number of birds in it? Feather pecking can get to be a habit in birds confined in a run which is too small for them, ie less than a minimum of 2 sq. metres of run space per hen, more for Speckledies is a good idea as they are a breed developed for outdoor free range conditions on organic farms, and don't manage confinement as well as some of the more commercially- bred hybrids,