Big bald spots on both sides of neck- why?

[LauraP]

Hello all

I have three black australorps that are about 10 months old. This is the first time I've ever had chickens. They have been very good and healthy, and are all three good layers and I just love them!

I am worried about one of them. This morning we noticed that she has two bald spots on her neck. The spots are on either side of her neck. One spot is larger than the other. I'm adding pics, and they show the larger spot. I've been reading past forum posts, and it looks like there could be a lot of causes. I'm hoping that some of you more experienced chicken parents will be able to recognize what it is. I hope it's not serious! Thank you!

 

[pacificrose]

Do you have a roster ? If you do it is where they grab the hens with their becks to hold them down ,maybe he is a little aggessive.

 

[jeaucamom]

That is not from a rooster. Could she be starting to molt perhaps?

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

Off the top of my head, I'd say feather-picking, but it looks to clean (no broken feathers). I second molting.

 

[LauraP]

Thanks so much for the responses!
I hope it is molting. That's normal! I've never had chickens before, but thought they did that when it was hot out. It's still getting below freezing here at night here. Could it still be molting?

We do not have a rooster, just the three hens. We've been talking about it and we wonder if it might be from the other hens. My son lets them out on weekend mornings, and didn't let them out of their hen house until 9:30 this morning. It get's light about 7:00, and they're pecking on the door to get out by then! Maybe they got irritated and took it out on her?

 

[jeaucamom]

Chickens can molt anytime of year... If you do a search on here you will find almost naked chickens in the dead of winter.. totally ridiculous..

Yes, it could be your other hens picking her. How big is your coop, do they have free calcium and how often do they get out?

 

[LauraP]

Haha

, I'll have to check out the naked chickens in winter!

Our coop is 4 x 6 feet for the three hens. They also have a 6 x 9 fenced run, with a roof. They are allowed out from dawn until dusk, except, like I said, my son didn't let them out until 9:30 this morning, and it gets light out at 7:00.

As for calcium, I actually just installed a container for holding oyster shells earlier today. Previously they had it sometimes, but were always knocking over the bowl and scattering it around. We have noticed weak shells lately, so I screwed a tupperware container to the wall at the same height as their food, and filled it with ground up shells.

Here's our setup:

Inside the henhouse: (When it was new and clean, haha)( there's also a second nesting box in there now)

The coop and run:

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[RockwaterFarm]

One of my Barred Rock hens has a bald spot on her neck too. I don't know if she's molting. I thought she already did but i have three barred rocks and sometimes get confused on whose who. Some my answer is that they could be molting.