Screaming and Balding

Caeleesi

In the Brooder
Feb 22, 2025
5
13
26
We currently have 5 chickens: 3 Australorps and 2 smaller ones (unsure of the breed)

Most of them have some balding occurring, which we originally thought was due to brooding, but it's taking a very long time for our biggest hen's feathers to return (Images attached of her bald back, it's been this way for months. They are fed vegetables, fruit, seed and tuna. We used to give them mealworms but they aren't so into it recently) The medium & smaller ones have all these small patches around their necks/heads which is a bit confusing!

We also have a resident screamer as of a week or so ago - one of the smaller chickens has begun yelling at all hours of the day, and during the night when in the coop as well. We have no idea what this could be. There are no threats around, she's never laid an egg before so i don't believe it would be because of that, and apart from the balding issues they're all getting, she doesn't appear sickly.

I've uploaded a video of her calling here:
 

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We currently have 5 chickens: 3 Australorps and 2 smaller ones (unsure of the breed)

Most of them have some balding occurring, which we originally thought was due to brooding, but it's taking a very long time for our biggest hen's feathers to return (Images attached of her bald back, it's been this way for months. They are fed vegetables, fruit, seed and tuna. We used to give them mealworms but they aren't so into it recently) The medium & smaller ones have all these small patches around their necks/heads which is a bit confusing!

We also have a resident screamer as of a week or so ago - one of the smaller chickens has begun yelling at all hours of the day, and during the night when in the coop as well. We have no idea what this could be. There are no threats around, she's never laid an egg before so i don't believe it would be because of that, and apart from the balding issues they're all getting, she doesn't appear sickly.

I've uploaded a video of her calling here:
That looks like feather picking.

Also your screamer is actually crowing. I've got a hen, or two that will crow.
 
They are fed vegetables, fruit, seed and tuna. We used to give them mealworms but they aren't so into it recently) The medium & smaller ones have all these small patches around their necks/heads which is a bit confusing!
Welcome To BYC

Do you feed any poultry feed like layer or all flock feed?

I see feathers worn and what looks like some plucking/picking. They may be picking at one another a bit especially during roosting.
 
We feed them some organic backyard layer mash & occasionally they also get medium shell grit.
I haven't seen any mites on them as of yet.

as for the crower, is there any way to get her to stop? it's all the time and it's so loud i can barely think haha. Her head turned dark grey and she became the rooster or what? 🤣
 
We feed them some organic backyard layer mash & occasionally they also get medium shell grit.
I haven't seen any mites on them as of yet.

as for the crower, is there any way to get her to stop? it's all the time and it's so loud i can barely think haha. Her head turned dark grey and she became the rooster or what? 🤣
They are fed vegetables, fruit, seed and tuna.
I'd make sure they are eating the layer feed.

Nah, she didn't turn into a rooster. Some hens make a crowing sound, that's just the way it is. Chickens can be quite noisy at times.

Her coloring looks normal to me.
 
We feed them some organic backyard layer mash & occasionally they also get medium shell grit.
I haven't seen any mites on them as of yet.

as for the crower, is there any way to get her to stop? it's all the time and it's so loud i can barely think haha. Her head turned dark grey and she became the rooster or what? 🤣
Apparently she is performing rooster duties as she was looking up to the sky pior to her warning call.
 
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yelling at all hours of the day, and during the night when in the coop as well. We have no idea what this could be. There are no threats around,
You may be missing what sets her off.
At night all kinds of animals like cats, skunks, foxes, snakes, coyotes, martens, owls, rats, hedgehogs you name it can cause a watchful bird to emit warning calls. Even the head lights of some car passing by can trigger it.
 
This is our coop set up - at night they're closed up in the darkness and nothing would be able to get in except bugs, during the day we let them out into the smaller enclosed area and occasionally we'll open up the gate and they can walk around the house area too (or they will fly out demanding freedom themselves). We're in Australia so we can rule out coyotes haha. The only thing we get during the day is birds (which my dog will chase off if asked), we've had some water monitors walk by but that's only been twice since we moved here (very rare, in other words.)
We get frogs & toads at night, and the road is far enough away that no lights would reach them. So really as far as we can tell her crowing is for nothing (it pretty much doesn't stop, which can be pretty frustrating as i work from home and it is like a neverending alarm).

But basically from what I've gathered she has just decided to take on the role of a rooster?

Also, any fixes for the balding? As far as we've seen they eat everything we give them, might just have to give them more of the feed?
 

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This is our coop set up - at night they're closed up in the darkness and nothing would be able to get in except bugs, during the day we let them out into the smaller enclosed area and occasionally we'll open up the gate and they can walk around the house area too (or they will fly out demanding freedom themselves). We're in Australia so we can rule out coyotes haha. The only thing we get during the day is birds (which my dog will chase off if asked), we've had some water monitors walk by but that's only been twice since we moved here (very rare, in other words.)
We get frogs & toads at night, and the road is far enough away that no lights would reach them. So really as far as we can tell her crowing is for nothing (it pretty much doesn't stop, which can be pretty frustrating as i work from home and it is like a neverending alarm).

But basically from what I've gathered she has just decided to take on the role of a rooster?

Also, any fixes for the balding? As far as we've seen they eat everything we give them, might just have to give them more of the feed?
Which on is the coop, the big lighter build in the front or rather the tiny little thingy in the back where the ladder is installed?

The run looks very bare so they can get bored rather quickly when locked up.
Plant some bushes like elderberry or jostaberry that will provide shade, shelter and later the berries as nice treats.
Install some roosts or some kind of jungle gym for them to hop on and get out of each others way if need be.
 

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