Bald Astrolorp

[mendogurl]

Not an emergency, but my Astrolorp has no feathers on her head. She lost them months ago, almost a year.
At first I thought it was molting, but they have never come back.

Anyone know what this might be??

 

[3goodeggs]

Look her over for lice.

 

[mendogurl]

I did and couldn't find anything. Would they affect only one bird in the flock ?

 

[Kittymomma]

One bird may show more signs then the others, but if it is lice or mites they're all going to have them. Can you post a picture?

 

[mendogurl]

I would love to, but for some reason the site keeps telling me that I cannot download any pics. Weird.

A verbal picture - there are no feathers on her actual head. She has feathers on her neck and all the rest of her body. No missing feathers
anywhere else or on any of the other seven birds.

 

[mendogurl]

I have gone out and checked all the girls thoroughly, could find no sign of infestation.

Not sure if it is mites or lice, or something else. Are there any signs I should be looking for in the coop that would be a clue?
I just moved in 6 new babies, worried about them as well as the big girls.

 

[cparian]

Do you have a rooster? I had to rehome mine because he did that to his favorite girl.

 

[mendogurl]

No rooster. Weird, huh?

I think tomorrow, I will clean out the entire coop and run. Maybe get some DE, and some poultry dust??

 

[3goodeggs]

I was thinking 'rooster' too because I have a hen in isolation...she had a bruised bald head from the rooster grabbing her. her feathers are finally returning.
...but no rooster, hummmm.

Now, I do suggest you spend some time just watching them. Before the rooster, we had some dominate hens that acted in a roosterly manner. They would grab a hen and pen her down. Maybe you have one of those.
Or, she roosts next to an obsessive compulsive hen that pulls out her feathers as she's going to sleep?
That's a mystery. Good luck solving it!

 

[Kittymomma]

3goodeggs has a really good point. How much roosting area do you have for how many chickens? They can be ornery trying to get the "good" roosting spots and you may very well have another hen thats picking at her head every night...