Bald spot on hens back

[WhenInRhome]

So the 4 girls I picked up this week (10 months old), one came with a bald spot on her back. I am guessing she is being picked on? Today I saw a different hen pick a feather off another hens back (not the one with the bald spot). Can I keep them from picked each others feathers out? Why do they do this?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Picking is something that can have a lot of root causes - it can also be a hard habit to break. Were they with a rooster at their previous home? Were they housed in a closed up, maybe crowded, sort of unit or were they free ranging? What were and are they being fed? Picked spots invite picking - similar to how a small injury can draw attention and further pecking until a tiny wound is a large, serious wound or dead bird.
For the short term, a good way to protect the exposed area to allow for regrowth and prevent sunburn is a "hen saddle" - it will cover the exposed area. They are readily available for purchase online from many outlets or you can even find DIY instructions for making your own.

 

[WhenInRhome]

I am not sure they had a rooster in with them before. I am assuming they did. She said they were hatching a lot of eggs in incubators. They had a lot of chickens running around too! These girls were in a pen together. I did not see them, they pulled them out and put them in my tote in my car. I did not see them till I got home. That was when I saw one was totally bald on her back I figured it would grow back but then I saw a different hen peck another one on the back so I thought they were doing it to each other. They were in a pen that was maybe 12x20 with 50 hens. Hopefully they will stop. I will go buy a hen saddle to protect the bald one.