Chicken going bald

[Vixen218]

Hi all,

Really need some advice.

I have had 5 chickens now for 1 year and never had any problems except for flooring in run (now sand, which they keep compacting down) but in the last few days I have noticed that 1 chicken is going bald on its head.

I have had her out of the coup and have checked her over and can't find any mites or anything.

They are all wormed monthly and I can't see any of them picking on others Infact I would say she is 2nd in line...

Any idea what could be causing the problem???

[bearded bloke]

Could be the annual moult,one of mine was really scruffy just after Cr....mad but back to normal now

[bearded bloke]

Have a read through some of these threads,they might help .........

Vine Moult Threads

[out in the cold]

My sister in law used to have a bald ex battery hen.

They called her Oven Ready!

[Linzy]

Might be moulting my ones look right rough when they moult. We also had a rabbit that was also loose in our garden and Mr.Tibbles loved to nibble the chicken feathers, i never once had to clip there wings cause the rabbit did it for us. We have some very odd animals. If you got extra space give them a little sometimes it can be overcrowding and they may pluck one another

[petal]

I suppose it could be feather depluming mite? What would I do..., I suppose a nice bath and blow dry and a general spray against mites|?
I have a soppy cockerel who is allowing the hens to pluck his feathers out of him - could it be the others eating her feathers?

[VirginVegGrower]

I was about to say something similar ^^^ are you seeing the feathers? If not, are they being eaten? If so, up the protein. DE puff wouldn't go a miss maybe.

[Vixen218]

Thanks for all the responses...
I have seen some feathers but they are white and so are not hers...
She is only going bald on her head... The rest of her looks perfectly healthy...
She is eating fine and drinking fine too...
How can I up her protein?
I might mite protect them all just to be on the safe side...
As for room, apart from height wise they seem to have plenty...

[VirginVegGrower]

Feed them some of their eggs boiled or scrambled. I give tuna mixed in sometimes. Others give cat food. Not a bad idea to spray some DE in a litter tray filled with soil for dust bathing but cover your nose and mouth. I think it was Snadger who suggested it was dangerous stuff for our lungs.

[scorpius]

Have you a cockerel?

[Vixen218]

No cockerel..
What is DE powder...

[bearded bloke]

Diatomaceous Earth

[scorpius]

May I ask what you are worming them with?

[chris]

If you use DE, make sure you use a mask too !

[Vixen218]

Wormed with vermex liquid but ran out last month so now on vermex pellets.
On Saturday I mite powdered them all, disinfected the whole house, wormed them and mineral supplements given.
They have now had their last worming for the month and going to keep giving mineral supplement daily till Saturday then once a week. Am also trying to up their protein levels... They are all happy though... Oh and whilst it was sunny I got to cut the grass so they got loads of grass clippings to chomp on...