[spinestein]

["Another possibility perhaps is that some representatives of coelurosaurs were not entirely covered with feathers, only certain areas," said Gohlich. The newly discovered Juravenator was very young so may not have lived long enough to develop feathers. But Gohlich said that despite its age, she would have expected it to have had feathers.]



Another possibility is that the feathers may have been removed before the corpse was fossilized. My folks have chickens on their farm and some of them are plucked half bald by other chickens. I've also seen a few chickens after the coyotes have ripped them up and there is a nice skeleton left over with most of the meat, skin and feathers gone.

[RightWhale]

Some dogs know better than to eat chicken bones.

[The_Victor]

Another possibility is that the feathers may have been removed before the corpse was fossilized. My folks have chickens on their farm and some of them are plucked half bald by other chickens. I've also seen a few chickens after the coyotes have ripped them up and there is a nice skeleton left over with most of the meat, skin and feathers gone.

From the article:

The new fossil is nearly complete, apart from a missing part of its long tail, and shows soft tissue and an imprint of the skin but no feathers.

Removed feathers would have left a noticeable "chicken skin" imprint, I think. Still, too many viable scenarios to draw any detailed conclusions just yet.