Bald chickens-bullying

[Cedargrove]

I have 7 chickens adopted from 2 separate flocks a little less than a year ago. Two (first flock) are presumed top of the pecking order. Other five which are second flock and younger seem to have varying degrees of head and neck baldness. I thought it was one from the older flock but my son reports he saw an offender being for sure one from this younger group. Says she pecked the neck then puffed up and looked to be “squaring off” and then chased. There are zero signs of skin injury-just lack of feathers. This was the first time it was witnessed. No idea how to help these poor bald chickens!

 

[Mrs. K]

Are they molting?

 

[Cedargrove]

No-this isn’t molting, it clearly looks like picking at the head and neck only. Everywhere else beautiful feathers , clean skin, healthy, no wounds. Just bald necks and heads on 4 (I thought it was all of the younger flock but I think there must be a top bird of that generation and she is not bald-it was harder to tell because she’s got a white head and neck)