Chickens head feathers pecked

[NHchickens2019]

Hello, one of our chickens has missing feathers on its head. We have 6 chickens including a roo and they are less than 1yr old. Could be rooster mating with his favorite or hens pecking. This chicken is the lowest on the Pecking order but docile. What can I do to help? Not sure if it will get worse. It will be cold this winter here and afraid of frost bite.

 

[ValerieJ]

So sorry about your pullet! For starters, spray the area with Blu-Kote because chickens will definitely peck at anything red. What size is your coop? What size is your run? Without seeing a picture, I'm assuming they are pecking on her. Does she have places to get away from the aggressors? Obstacles in the run are really good for this. It can be as simple as putting a few stumps in, or a chair, or a pallet leaning up against something. Also do you have more than one feeding station? Pictures of your hen, your coop and your run can help someone give you more specific ideas.

 

[coach723]

A rooster less than a year old is a cockerel and cockerels can be brats. He may be very rude and rough and has not learned any manners yet. It's very common that the lower order more submissive hens get more attention than they may want. If your cockerel is hurting her then I would separate him until he matures some, and give the pullets a rest that they will likely appreciate. Some cockerels get better with maturity, some do not. For a rough guy 5 hens is not enough, 8 -10 hens would be better. Not enough hens results in over breeding and beat up hens. Frostbite will only usually be an issue if your coop doesn't have enough ventilation, and the comb and wattles are always bare.