My two year old polish chicken has a bald head. It has been getting bald over the last year but I noticed today that it is worse than ever. Is this malting or do I have more of a problem on my hands?
Polish chickens in mixed flocks do mostly okay, but are prone to having their head feathers pulled out by the others. I've had 2 hens who maybe once a year have lost all of their feathers. BluKote usually works to let the feathers grow back in, but I have had to separate out for 3 weeks in a cage for one who was scalped one day. She later grew them all back. When feathers just start to come in they are very enticing to the others who will pull them right out. There are many anti-pick remedies on the market, and oldtimers used to use pine tar for that, but I wouldn't think that would be good on her head. Maybe something nasty-tasting like Vick's salve would work.
