Hen keeps losing neck feathers. Help?

[Kyari]

My husband and I have 6 hens of various breeds. For the third time now the same hen is missing feathers on the side of her neck. This fall it was bad enough we had to isolate her with one of the docile hens for a month while her feathers grew back. We have not seen anyone bullying her, in fact most of the time she seems to be top-bird. Maybe the picking is happening at night? No idea. We tried all sorts of no-peck sprays and gels, to no avail. We even put blinders on everyone for a week until I felt bad for them and removed them (some were getting sores around their nares and generally having a hard time adjusting). They have approximately 300sqft enclosed to roam in divided into two areas connected with a tunnel (connected ~200sqft addition is new this year), and a 4ftx4ft coop with two roost bars; I don't think crowding or even boredom should be an issue, unless they're just being contrary.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Is there a way to prevent/stop this without having to isolate her again? She hasn't been actually harmed yet, never skin broken, but I worry that it will escalate. Plus, let's be honest, naked patches are not pretty!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Can you post pictures? Some will go through a neck molt this time of year.

 

[ldrchickens]

I had a cockerel and a hen lose theirs right below the back of the head but they have grown back. I think it was from bickering and breeding.

 

[Kyari]

The feathers are broken off near the base. She finished her full molt in December, and this has been happening each spring and fall since it started this time last year. This is also very early/mild compared the the nearly fully bald neck she acquired over about 2 months last September-ish. No roosters.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What do you feed? Protein of your ration?

 

[Kyari]

What do you feed? Protein of your ration?

We use Purina pellets. They’ve been on Feather Fixer 18% pretein since molt started, just about to transition back to their usual 16% layer feed. Stayed on the high protein specifically in case that was the problem. *sigh*

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is she lower in the pecking order? It could be some overzealous grooming from other birds, perhaps on the roosts.

 

[aart]

Are there pin feathers coming in....can't really see in pic?
Might get some help with photo, one to take pic and other to spread feathers for a better look.

We have not seen anyone bullying her,

Then no reason to isolate.

Plus, let's be honest, naked patches are not pretty!

Yeah, but it happens...and yours doesn't look so bad.

 

[Kyari]

Is she lower in the pecking order? It could be some overzealous grooming from other birds, perhaps on the roosts.

I’m not the best at judging their pecking order. She is the smallest but one of the oldest. I see her bossing around the younger girls pretty regularly and she is usually friendly with the other older hen she was raised with as a chick. We suspect the other older gen though, since she can be very bossy to everyone. But like I said, haven’t seen anyone actually picking on her

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have a few with plucked chin, and cheeks. I don't see it going on either. It generally is nothing but cosmetic. Hopefully that's all it is with yours too.