former problem still occuring..i no longer think its a moult?

[spish]

a month or two back i posted about how 2 of my chickens had a bald patch on the side of their necks. they all got treated for lice and mites so i then presumed it was the rooster(where he was hanging on their backs with his beak perhaps). but since then the rooster has also developed this small bald patch on the side of his neck, and another hen also. also the rest of the roosters long neck feather seem thin and patchy(not their fluffy colourful usual self!)
so i thought maybe moulting? but its gone on for a few months now with just feather loss on a small patch on the side of various chickens necks. no new feathers have grown back.
and people are starting to ask whats wrong with my chickens? they are worried it may be contagious (out of 50+ only 4 or 5 have this problem..but still maybe its something slow spreading?) any ideas people. im at my wits end!!!

 

[spish]

nobody ever dealt with something like this before?

 

[chicmom]

Here's what I would do.....set a spell and watch your chickens....really observe them....you might just find that there's a mean hen who is pulling their feathers out. I had the same problem, only on a different spot.....my chickens had no mites or lice or anything like that......then one day I just sat and watched them for a while.....and I saw her! Mean old Rose was going around, plucking everybody in the EXACT same spot! (It was just above their tail feathers on their backs.) She would sneak up behind them, give them the stink eye, and WHAM! Rip out some feathers! She even did it to my rooster.

Try it and see......let me know what you find....

Sharon

 

[Dar]

can you take a picture and post?

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Quote:
I had the same problem and whenever I turned my back Barbara was pulling out feathers, on the side of the neck.

 

[silkiechicken]

Someone is probably picking them off. My dang hen whipped rooster lets his girls pull off all his "chin" feathers so under his hackles that flow over them... he's bald. He just puts his head down to their level and lets them pick away.