BALDING ON HEAD?!

[EvaRay1525]

Hi! I noticed that my polish chicken has this bald spot on this head in the same spot. It sometimes get bloody and it looks like the feathers came out completely, he does have mites and lice that I have been treating but could lice/mites cause that? I am suspecting that my oldest chicken is pecking on him, and I wanted to separate him but he cries because he doesn't want to be alone. But if she is causing it I will separate them.

 

[black_cat]

It does look like the feathers are being pecked out. Do a see but don't touch situation so that he is separated, but won't freak out. See if the problem improves.

 

[azygous]

That's the spot other chickens like to peck when they're peeved. Do you have just the two chickens or are there more?

What are you using to treat the lice?

How much room do they have in there run? The more chickens there are the more space you need. Crowding leads to this kind of behavior.

 

[EvaRay1525]

That's the spot other chickens like to peck when they're peeved. Do you have just the two chickens or are there more?

What are you using to treat the lice?

How much room do they have in there run? The more chickens there are the more space you need. Crowding leads to this kind of behavior.

I currently have 8 chickens. The oldest (New Hampshire 5 months) and him stick together, they all free range during the day and at night I Lock them up. There are only 3 other chickens which are the older ones that stay in the coop with him. The coop is around 8ft long and 5 ft wide, the chickens that are in the coop are not big only around 2-4 months. I have enough roosting bars (5) I am currently treating them with ruffled feathers (natural chemistry)

 

[azygous]

Natural chemistry probably isn't going to work on lice. You need permethrin poultry dust. It's a natural biological insecticide that is safe to use on chickens and it's effective on lice.

Bully victims need help sometimes. Here's my article on changing bully victim behavior. I treat the victim, not the bully. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/