Bald Head Hen

[Joonsgirl81]

I need some help. I've googled till I've about driven myself crazy. I've asked in various facebook groups with no luck. Everything has just left me more confused, and almost in a panic. One of my 8 month old hens has lost most of her head feathers since Christmas and I have no clue what is going on. Her head was 100% normal before Christmas. My husband has a theory that it started because Christmas weekend was very cold. I kept the girls in their wrapped run for 2 days because of the low temperatures and high winds. It dropped down into the single digits for 2 nights. The first time I noticed a bald spot was Christmas Eve morning. My husband thinks when it was really cold, they all fought to get together on one roosting bar, and she got pecked. It stayed more or less the same for a couple weeks, but then she started losing more feathers. It did warm up and then turn cold again, so no clue if that was part of it. Also she used to always be on the higher roost, but right after the cold spell she was sleeping on the lower roost. Now she is back on the higher one, right when she's coming up with more missing feathers. I'm afraid she will be completely bald at this rate, and may end up getting wounded. So far there has been no injury or blood. Just missing feathers. I've watched them as much as I can. So far I haven't seen any of the others pecking enough to pull feathers out. Nothing beyond the normal little pecks they give each other, like when one gets in someone else's way. I can't watch 24/7 though. I checked her for mites and lice and I didn't see anything alarming. No bugs and her feather shafts looked clean. I could have missed something though. I'm pretty new at this. My husband is convinced it's happening at night on the roost. I don't have a camera in there, so I don't know. Someone suggested she could be rubbing her head on something, but I haven't observed her doing anything like that, and when I try to google I can't find anything about chickens rubbing their heads bald. Sometimes she does scratch her head/face with her feet, but they all do that. I'm worried her head feathers won't grow back if they keep pecking or she keeps rubbing her head, or whatever the heck is causing this. Someone told me they probably wouldn't grow back till she has her big molt in the fall, but someone else said they should grow back pretty quick. Has anyone else experienced this? It's so frustrating. I've been putting bluekote on to hide the pink bare skin, and just started using pick no more lotion, but I was told it had to be put on every day.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I need some help. I've googled till I've about driven myself crazy. I've asked in various facebook groups with no luck. Everything has just left me more confused, and almost in a panic. One of my 8 month old hens has lost most of her head feathers since Christmas and I have no clue what is going on. Her head was 100% normal before Christmas. My husband has a theory that it started because Christmas weekend was very cold. I kept the girls in their wrapped run for 2 days because of the low temperatures and high winds. It dropped down into the single digits for 2 nights. The first time I noticed a bald spot was Christmas Eve morning. My husband thinks when it was really cold, they all fought to get together on one roosting bar, and she got pecked. It stayed more or less the same for a couple weeks, but then she started losing more feathers. It did warm up and then turn cold again, so no clue if that was part of it. Also she used to always be on the higher roost, but right after the cold spell she was sleeping on the lower roost. Now she is back on the higher one, right when she's coming up with more missing feathers. I'm afraid she will be completely bald at this rate, and may end up getting wounded. So far there has been no injury or blood. Just missing feathers. I've watched them as much as I can. So far I haven't seen any of the others pecking enough to pull feathers out. Nothing beyond the normal little pecks they give each other, like when one gets in someone else's way. I can't watch 24/7 though. I checked her for mites and lice and I didn't see anything alarming. No bugs and her feather shafts looked clean. I could have missed something though. I'm pretty new at this. My husband is convinced it's happening at night on the roost. I don't have a camera in there, so I don't know. Someone suggested she could be rubbing her head on something, but I haven't observed her doing anything like that, and when I try to google I can't find anything about chickens rubbing their heads bald. Sometimes she does scratch her head/face with her feet, but they all do that. I'm worried her head feathers won't grow back if they keep pecking or she keeps rubbing her head, or whatever the heck is causing this. Someone told me they probably wouldn't grow back till she has her big molt in the fall, but someone else said they should grow back pretty quick. Has anyone else experienced this? It's so frustrating. I've been putting bluekote on to hide the pink bare skin, and just started using pick no more lotion, but I was told it had to be put on every day.

If there's no sign of mites, my first thought is feather plucking, though it could be something else. I'm not a chicken expert, I know the bare minimum, or less- I keep ducks.
But while we wait on the clever people, some questions to get more of an idea:

How big is the coop, how many hens/roosters?
What do they eat, how much protein in their main feed?

 

[Sally PB]

I have a hen that has a mostly bald head. She's the bottom of the pecking order, and the head hen will chase her down till she submits, then mount her and pull out a couple of feathers.

I see feathers growing back, so I think this squabble might be resolved now.

 

[Joonsgirl81]

If there's no sign of mites, my first thought is feather plucking, though it could be something else. I'm not a chicken expert, I know the bare minimum, or less- I keep ducks.
But while we wait on the clever people, some questions to get more of an idea:

How big is the coop, how many hens/roosters?
What do they eat, how much protein in their main feed?

9 hens. No rooster. 4x8 coop. 8 x 12 run. They get out to free range twice a day while I am home to watch. They eat Layena crumbles, which is 16% protein. Sometimes scratch grains and mealworms. Occassional veggie scraps.

 

[Joonsgirl81]

I have a hen that has a mostly bald head. She's the bottom of the pecking order, and the head hen will chase her down till she submits, then mount her and pull out a couple of feathers.

I see feathers growing back, so I think this squabble might be resolved now.

I am hoping whoever is doing this will stop so hers can grow back. It makes me so sad seeing her little bald head. She is so sweet.

 

[Eggcessive]

You could try some pine tar or Nustock cream from the horse section at your feed stores. Those taste bad and may help to prevent the pecking while she heals. This type of head pecking can be common with crested or Polish hens. If you can identify if just one hen is pecking her, you could get some pinless peepers to use, so that she could not see her victim.

 

[Unicorn9]

Your struggle is real! But I have to laugh and I also think if those silly crochet chicken hats are actually useful in this case? Kinda the same lines of the aprons so that the roosters don't ruin their back feathers. May wanna try and see if she'd let you put something like that on her to give her time to grow new feathers, and be safe from pecking?

 

[Hysteria]

I need some help. I've googled till I've about driven myself crazy. I've asked in various facebook groups with no luck. Everything has just left me more confused, and almost in a panic. One of my 8 month old hens has lost most of her head feathers since Christmas and I have no clue what is going on. Her head was 100% normal before Christmas. My husband has a theory that it started because Christmas weekend was very cold. I kept the girls in their wrapped run for 2 days because of the low temperatures and high winds. It dropped down into the single digits for 2 nights. The first time I noticed a bald spot was Christmas Eve morning. My husband thinks when it was really cold, they all fought to get together on one roosting bar, and she got pecked. It stayed more or less the same for a couple weeks, but then she started losing more feathers. It did warm up and then turn cold again, so no clue if that was part of it. Also she used to always be on the higher roost, but right after the cold spell she was sleeping on the lower roost. Now she is back on the higher one, right when she's coming up with more missing feathers. I'm afraid she will be completely bald at this rate, and may end up getting wounded. So far there has been no injury or blood. Just missing feathers. I've watched them as much as I can. So far I haven't seen any of the others pecking enough to pull feathers out. Nothing beyond the normal little pecks they give each other, like when one gets in someone else's way. I can't watch 24/7 though. I checked her for mites and lice and I didn't see anything alarming. No bugs and her feather shafts looked clean. I could have missed something though. I'm pretty new at this. My husband is convinced it's happening at night on the roost. I don't have a camera in there, so I don't know. Someone suggested she could be rubbing her head on something, but I haven't observed her doing anything like that, and when I try to google I can't find anything about chickens rubbing their heads bald. Sometimes she does scratch her head/face with her feet, but they all do that. I'm worried her head feathers won't grow back if they keep pecking or she keeps rubbing her head, or whatever the heck is causing this. Someone told me they probably wouldn't grow back till she has her big molt in the fall, but someone else said they should grow back pretty quick. Has anyone else experienced this? It's so frustrating. I've been putting bluekote on to hide the pink bare skin, and just started using pick no more lotion, but I was told it had to be put on every day.

Do you have rooster who's chasing her more than the others?

 

[PatrickGale]

With no Rooster,
It is probably pecking by a dominant hen

Lean a 4x4 piece of plywood or cardboard near the fence.

When she hides behind It will give her a time out area away from any mean girls!!

Patrick Perry
Salt Lake City
A Worm’s Tale®

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I need some help. I've googled till I've about driven myself crazy. I've asked in various facebook groups with no luck. Everything has just left me more confused, and almost in a panic. One of my 8 month old hens has lost most of her head feathers since Christmas and I have no clue what is going on. Her head was 100% normal before Christmas. My husband has a theory that it started because Christmas weekend was very cold. I kept the girls in their wrapped run for 2 days because of the low temperatures and high winds. It dropped down into the single digits for 2 nights. The first time I noticed a bald spot was Christmas Eve morning. My husband thinks when it was really cold, they all fought to get together on one roosting bar, and she got pecked. It stayed more or less the same for a couple weeks, but then she started losing more feathers. It did warm up and then turn cold again, so no clue if that was part of it. Also she used to always be on the higher roost, but right after the cold spell she was sleeping on the lower roost. Now she is back on the higher one, right when she's coming up with more missing feathers. I'm afraid she will be completely bald at this rate, and may end up getting wounded. So far there has been no injury or blood. Just missing feathers. I've watched them as much as I can. So far I haven't seen any of the others pecking enough to pull feathers out. Nothing beyond the normal little pecks they give each other, like when one gets in someone else's way. I can't watch 24/7 though. I checked her for mites and lice and I didn't see anything alarming. No bugs and her feather shafts looked clean. I could have missed something though. I'm pretty new at this. My husband is convinced it's happening at night on the roost. I don't have a camera in there, so I don't know. Someone suggested she could be rubbing her head on something, but I haven't observed her doing anything like that, and when I try to google I can't find anything about chickens rubbing their heads bald. Sometimes she does scratch her head/face with her feet, but they all do that. I'm worried her head feathers won't grow back if they keep pecking or she keeps rubbing her head, or whatever the heck is causing this. Someone told me they probably wouldn't grow back till she has her big molt in the fall, but someone else said they should grow back pretty quick. Has anyone else experienced this? It's so frustrating. I've been putting bluekote on to hide the pink bare skin, and just started using pick no more lotion, but I was told it had to be put on every day.

This happened to my hen but they grew back I think she just got picked on once I had to rehome our rooster.