Bald heads and nekkid bellies

[tinkx]

So I had two hens go through a molt in the late fall last year. They lost their feathers around their heads and butts. My other two hens are going bald and both have naked bellies. I'm just trying to verify that this is what is going on before my imagination gets the best of me. Her belly is way naked, like she's being plucked for dinner, smooth as a baby's butt.

Needs hair club for hens (was too hard to get pics of the top of her head but half her head is really bald

Chicken belly shirt?

Thanks in advance

Katy

 

[Dora'smom]

Looks like someone is picking her feathers. My birds are pecked on their rear ends, near their tails, some of them on their backs, etc. Clean as a whistle, just like yours. I have used blu-kote, pick-no-more, etc. and they have helped a little. What has worked best for me, is using pinless peepers. They won't like them at first, but they are able to eat, drink, peck the ground, etc. while wearing them, and they have made a difference for my birds. They have feather regrowth, but still some bare areas. Do your birds have enough space and enough roost area?

 

[tinkx]

Oh yeah they have a ton of room, the free range in the backyard and they have room to spare in their sleeping quarters. Peckiong their bellies bald? I'd understand if it was their backs, but their bellies? I jsut figured it was a molt because they are from the same set of chicks and the exact same thing was happening to both of them n the same places.

 

[tinkx]

in other words, the other two hens went into molt at exactly the same time, so since these two had the same symptoms at the same time, thats why I was guessing molt. Is there some telltale signs to help me tell the difference, if I look closely?

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

(I'm assuming that you have a rooster) The missing feathers off the back of the head is where the rooster is mating with her and pulling out her feathers. The ones of the belly are normal for a good layer. She will pluck those feathers to line her nest and so her body can be next to the eggs. If she was being plucked, the skin would be red and irritated from the pecking.

 

[tinkx]

No rooster, just the four hens. If she's pulling out her own feathers, do I need to do anything about it, will she stop at some point? I can't find the feathers anywhere, nest or otherwise, no idea how long she's been doing it. We just noticed when my husband was holding her up so I could get the snapshot of her head. The skin is definitely not irritated, it looks so close to the chicken I saw for sale at the farmer's market today, I am having pork for diner instead.

The head thing is weird. We had a very aggressive hen we had to rehome for a number of reasons, I figured that was maybe where the baldness was coming from. Its been a few weeks since then, I'm just not sure if/when the feathers should be growing back if that is the case.

 

[BarnsB]

Nekid belly is normal for a good layer. Your agressive hen probably pecked the head feathers. They'll take time to grow back...perhaps as long as until her next molt. Don't fret!

 

[tinkx]

Ok thank you so much, I really appreciate all the help

 

[aveca]

I have seen broody hens literally pluck belly feathers , never was sure if it gets just very warm weather and they do that, not sure ..in early spring they dont do it.at least not here., they get off the nest for about 20 mins to eay poo and preen and they have feathers everywhere even bellys... , but if shes not brooding I dont know.My vet took skin samples from our group cause they had strange molt that wasnt clearing up ..and on neck the rooster looks terrible , he looked like a ring necked vulture with a puff of bad looking feathers that were growing back..My vet took skin samples from our group and just in case it was some sort of fungas or skin infection but cornell saod they found nothing..she said to try upping the protien level until it improves so Ive added calf manna for showbirds and game birds in with regular feed. weird thing was the rooster is shiney all over except his neck ... she determined the hens were picking on each other when 3 were removed to the breeding pen so thats why the bald faces.....what breed is your bird?

 

[Iveta]

I have seen broody hens literally pluck belly feathers , never was sure if it gets just very warm weather and they do that, not sure ..in early spring they dont do it.at least not here., they get off the nest for about 20 mins to eay poo and preen and they have feathers everywhere even bellys... , but if shes not brooding I dont know.My vet took skin samples from our group cause they had strange molt that wasnt clearing up ..and on neck the rooster looks terrible , he looked like a ring necked vulture with a puff of bad looking feathers that were growing back..My vet took skin samples from our group and just in case it was some sort of fungas or skin infection but cornell saod they found nothing..she said to try upping the protien level until it improves so Ive added calf manna for showbirds and game birds in with regular feed. weird thing was the rooster is shiney all over except his neck ... she determined the hens were picking on each other when 3 were removed to the breeding pen so thats why the bald faces.....what breed is your bird?

I would confirm. My broody great layer has taken few off her belly too - very smooth skin under it and no one is pecking on her! And no other fowl is getting to her belly. She does however lay in a lot in her nest, sticking her head under when laying-to check what she has "produced", turning over stones she puts in her nest with her beak..like the location and nesting is a very precise thing for her! Also because it is very hot here in Vegas she likes to dig holes to bury herself in sand and lays there too- so the dirt is scratching her belly too; I spray hose daily and disinfect all areas where they like to dig in- just in case and provide burlap for the coop too. I also throw aspirin in the water buckets on occasion, for its antibacterial properties, and because it is summer and ducks water evaporates etc..
P.S -where do the feathers go? they eat them! not just peck them, but eat their own soft underbelly feathers, follicles etc..and not just their own!!..underbelly soft feathers seem to be intriguing for other chicks too- and some would just eat anything out of boredom and curiosity .