Don't know if I am posting this to the right forum but..

[unbaked pegga]

My 4 chickens are strange. They get every malady coming and going. They all just finished molting (almost) now 2 of the red orpingtons seem to be losing feathers on their head. I thought that is where they begin to molt. The get good food, everything is kept clean, I don't know why they are doing this. It probably is nothing, just peculiar.

 

[chickenpeeple]

Yeah it just looks like molting. You should check for lice though, just in case.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some will go through a partial molt in spring which just involves the head. I've had birds molt, than molt again. I currently have one molting that molted a few months ago. With chickens I've come to expect the unexpected. It keeps things interesting.

 

[chickenpeeple]

mine are weird molters too.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I have two girls doing the same thing. As long as you see pin quills your okay. It’s just more noticeable on the top of the head.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hens coming back into lay from the winter break can try to reset the pecking order too.
They can pull feathers off other birds when doing this and it tends to be the heads that take the brunt of it.