Scaly head - is this a concern?

[juliejonak]

One of our Ameracauna hens seems to have a scaly area above her beak. She’s about a year old, regularly laying, and doesn’t seem to have lost weight.

I’ve been away on a trip for a few days and my partner noticed her trying to sleep in the nesting box, instead of on the roost with the others. We have 9 hens but this is unusual. She isn’t typically bullied or left out. Initially, I assumed she might be getting broody.

No other signs of injury or scales on her body or legs. No other hens have matching scaly area on their head. This hen has always had this more unusual non feathered area above her beak since being a chick but it seems drier and scalier than usual. I don’t have a lot of photos of her head so I can’t tell if this is normal or not. I’m not home to watch them more closely and want to advise my partner if he should do anything to help her.

So far, the other hens don’t appeal to be pecking at her head or drawing blood. They are in a large coop with a huge run. The coop has mulch and the run is forest.


Is this something to be concerned about? Just how she is and maybe needing some moisture?

 

[Eggcessive]

You could put some vaseline, coconut, or other mild oil on the beak.