Broody Hen Going Bald

[RingneckParrot]

Hello, I was just a little worried about my SLW (silver laced Wyandotte) bantam hen, who is currently broody. Recently, she has been starting to lose feathers near her comb, at the top of her head, and also she has had a few scabs on her comb too. Yesterday, she was looking a bit weak and a bit pale and she was roosting about an hour or so before I put the flock to bed. Is she just going through a 'broody' stage or is there something wrong? She has been broody for about a week now, and also neither of my other hens have experienced baldness, pale, weak.. yadda yadda. Would appreciate if you could help, and sorry if this thread is in the wrong place :L
Thankyou

 

[ChickenLegs13]

If you have a rooster, the scabs on her comb and loss of head feathers could be from excessive mating. I don't get the part where she has been broody for a week but still goes to roost. Are you sure she's actually broody and her ruffled or puffed up feathers aren't a symptom of a chicken illness? Being lethargic on the roost & pale comb is a symptom of several chicken illnesses.

 

[RingneckParrot]

She is broody, clucking and all. I had to take the nest-box away from her so the others could lay, but the funny thing is, is that she can see the box and she can access it but she doesn't return to it, she just roosts on the top perch about an hour or so before the others come in. We don't have a rooster, but I have a feeling that she may be being pecked on by the other hens (she has been in the coop for about a year now, and she is at the bottom of the 'pecking order') She seems to be a looking a little better, her comb is pink but scabby from previous pecking, i'm just worried about her baldness because I can't see much feather regrowth. Thanks, I appreciate your quick reply

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I gotcha. Well, if you don't think she's sick then you have some bullying that needs dealt with. If you pay attention to your chickens you should notice 1 that always instigates the pecking & feather pulling then the rest join in. Boot the ringleader from the pen for a week so your little banty can have a break from the abuse. Go to the feed store and get some bluekote to put on her head, because if other chickens see a bald spot they naturally pick at it, regardless of their pecking order.
Hope this helps.