Hens going bald

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

Follow up to this post : https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/injured-foot-possibly.1511980/

This chicken I've mentioned in that thread has been losing her feathers on her head ever since and it has come to a point that I suspect something seriously wrong. She also still, at random, squawks with pain (or that is what it seems to me to be). It isn't constant and it isn't triggered by anything in particular. I'm also noticing that 2 of my other hens (Rhode Island Red and Easter Egger) are now also beginning to lose feathers, though I don't remember having noticed any strange squawking from them.. maybe once from the Rhose Island Red but I'm not sure if I'm recalling correctly. Also, the Rhode Island Red seems to have slight bleeding on her comb. The droppings are from the Australorp. Otherwise, they all act entirely normal. I am so confused, I have never experienced anything like this with our previous flock. I don't know for certain if these hens are still laying eggs, but we do get (and have always gotten since they began laying) 3 - 5 eggs on average a day from 7 hens. 1. What could this be? Is this something they've caught? A deficiency in their diet? Bullying? 2. Should we stop eating the eggs if this is potentially an illness? 3. Should I separate these three hens from the other four? Thank you in advance.

 

[Lollychicken]

Do you have a rooster??
Or it could be some form of mite or something. My grandparents have about a dozen hens, and there is a Minorca who currently looks like a naked neck. We think it's a form of mite. They don't have a rooster, and they are let out in the paddock so it's not bullying.

If yours are kept in close together it could be bullying. Or it could be mites

 

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

Do you have a rooster??
Or it could be some form of mite or something. My grandparents have about a dozen hens, and there is a Minorca who currently looks like a naked neck. We think it's a form of mite. They don't have a rooster, and they are let out in the paddock so it's not bullying.

If yours are kept in close together it could be bullying. Or it could be mites

No, we don't have a rooster. They're out in the pen most days. I think the pen is a fairly decent size for 7 hens (I will get exact measurements tomorrow). If this is bullying, this is definitely more aggressive than it ever was before. They've always pecked at each other, especially so when I reintroduced a previously sick hen back into the flock, but this would truly be bullying to an extent I haven't seen in any chickens I've owned. I've also never had problems with mites before! Are there any other obvious symptoms of mites? How are your grandparents dealing with the mites?

 

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

I'm worrying if this could be worms.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

The pecked feathers are most likely the work of bullies. Are the hens acting normal except for that? Do you know where they are in the pecking order, low or high? If it's mites, you would see little black specks on their skin. The following pictures are of one of my hens, who was getting picked on a lot by the others. She didn't seem to care at all, and lived a long, happy life.
Before:

After:

 

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

The pecked feathers are most likely the work of bullies. Are the hens acting normal except for that? Do you know where they are in the pecking order, low or high? If it's mites, you would see little black specks on their skin. The following pictures are of one of my hens, who was getting picked on a lot by the others. She didn't seem to care at all, and lived a long, happy life.
Before:
View attachment 3076166
After:
View attachment 3076167

Yes, they seem to be acting normal otherwise except for those loud squawking noises that concern me. It really is almost like she is screaming, but it doesn't happen too often. I may try to get footage of it because I can't find any sound exactly like it. Closest I've found is similar to this chicken:

But there isn't any obvious trigger for it and she only started making those sounds after beginning to lose her feathers, and as I said, the other hens don't make those sounds. I did some more looking into other symptoms of mites and worms and will go and look for any signs of either. These hens I've mentioned are a little lower on the pecking order and I'm definitely not discounting that it may be bullying, just trying to be certain. Thank you for the reply. Your hen was so pretty!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Yes, they seem to be acting normal otherwise except for those loud squawking noises that concern me. It really is almost like she is screaming, but it doesn't happen too often. I may try to get footage of it because I can't find any sound exactly like it. Closest I've found is similar to this chicken:

But there isn't any obvious trigger for it and she only started making those sounds after beginning to lose her feathers, and as I said, the other hens don't make those sounds. I did some more looking into other symptoms of mites and worms and will go and look for any signs of either. These hens I've mentioned are a little lower on the pecking order and I'm definitely not discounting that it may be bullying, just trying to be certain. Thank you for the reply. Your hen was so pretty!

If you could get footage of it, that would be great! Does she still lay eggs? And does she make that noise in the nesting box, or just when she's walking around?

 

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

If you could get footage of it, that would be great! Does she still lay eggs? And does she make that noise in the nesting box, or just when she's walking around?

I'm still trying to get video. It is impossible to know when she will make that noise! I don't have an answer to either of those questions. I've thought about separating her for a bit to watch her behavior but I can't spare the time atm. BUT I did notice not long ago: her crop has no feathers! Otherwise when I do see her she is acting totally normal and it has been a good while now so my fears of it being an illness are relieved mostly. And another of my hens is now also losing feathers on her crop. Now just yesterday I did find a white egg (I have no chickens that make white eggs) that cracked in my hand due to it being softer than the rest. The yolk looked normal. I see no signs of mites or worms. I'm figuring now this is probably something in their environment or diet to cause molting earlier than expected (although our first flock didn't look like that when molting.. but maybe this hen is just built different ). I figure I'll do more looking into if their pen is big enough for them, if maybe they're stressed. Their pen is 12' 12" in length, 8' 2 1/2" in width, and 6' 1/2" in height for 7 full grown hens. I'm thinking maybe they aren't getting enough protein.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I'm still trying to get video. It is impossible to know when she will make that noise! I don't have an answer to either of those questions. I've thought about separating her for a bit to watch her behavior but I can't spare the time atm. BUT I did notice not long ago: her crop has no feathers! Otherwise when I do see her she is acting totally normal and it has been a good while now so my fears of it being an illness are relieved mostly. And another of my hens is now also losing feathers on her crop. Now just yesterday I did find a white egg (I have no chickens that make white eggs) that cracked in my hand due to it being softer than the rest. The yolk looked normal. I see no signs of mites or worms. I'm figuring now this is probably something in their environment or diet to cause molting earlier than expected (although our first flock didn't look like that when molting.. but maybe this hen is just built different ). I figure I'll do more looking into if their pen is big enough for them, if maybe they're stressed. Their pen is 12' 12" in length, 8' 2 1/2" in width, and 6' 1/2" in height for 7 full grown hens. I'm thinking maybe they aren't getting enough protein.

Hmm, those two could be going broody and wanting to hatch chicks. When the one hen makes that noise, does she puff up her feathers? When one of my broody hens is walking around, she makes a hissing/screaming noise and puffs all of her feathers up if anyone comes close to her.
It sounds like they have enough room, almost 15 sq. ft. per hen. Is it fully enclosed, or more of a coop/run setup?
They may need more calcium in their diet if you're constantly getting soft-shelled eggs. Do you give them oyster shells? You can free feed them, and they'll eat as much or as little as they need.

 

[Bonwell]

I'm still trying to get video. It is impossible to know when she will make that noise! I don't have an answer to either of those questions. I've thought about separating her for a bit to watch her behavior but I can't spare the time atm. BUT I did notice not long ago: her crop has no feathers! Otherwise when I do see her she is acting totally normal and it has been a good while now so my fears of it being an illness are relieved mostly. And another of my hens is now also losing feathers on her crop. Now just yesterday I did find a white egg (I have no chickens that make white eggs) that cracked in my hand due to it being softer than the rest. The yolk looked normal. I see no signs of mites or worms. I'm figuring now this is probably something in their environment or diet to cause molting earlier than expected (although our first flock didn't look like that when molting.. but maybe this hen is just built different ). I figure I'll do more looking into if their pen is big enough for them, if maybe they're stressed. Their pen is 12' 12" in length, 8' 2 1/2" in width, and 6' 1/2" in height for 7 full grown hens. I'm thinking maybe they aren't getting enough protein.

Lots of chickens do scream like that if their eggs are being taken, especially if they're about to go through, or are, Broody. Does she ever scream apart from the laying box?