Loosing feathers.

[FloridaFlock]

I noticed one of my Eggers is loosing head feathers around her eyes. There doesn’t seem to be damage to the skin, lice or any other visible infestation. Can anyone help me identify the issue. TIA!

 

[azygous]

Age? Your location?

 

[FloridaFlock]

Florida a little south of the Cape. She’s 14 weeks. I’ve noticed they’re devouring the mangos that fall from our neighbor's tree. I saw some mango residual on her head feathers. They really dive into those things. Not sure if the juice would cause issues on the skin or not. I checked around and didn’t see any “bugs” but did put out some food grade DE tonight in their dust bath area just for good measure. I saw her scratch her head a little before putting them up in the coop. I can see additional/new feathers coming in in some spots on the head. I don’t notice them pecking each other. I am building a new coops as we speak but that won’t be done for a week or two. I read maybe crowding can be the issue but again I don’t notice them pecking one another or any unusual aggressive behavior.

 

[azygous]

I guess you've never seen chickens cleaning one another on their beaks and faces. Mangos are sweet and tasty and chickens will gladly finish off the meal left on the face of another. In the process, small facial feathers get yanked out, mistaken as part of the food.

I have Easter Eggers and they both have been recipients of vigorous face cleaning by their mates, and the consequence is missing muffs and beards. The same would happen if juice from a mango dripped on the head feathers.

 

[FloridaFlock]

Ok so not an issue I guess. I’m a new bird mommy and I worry when there’s something unusual and I don’t know how to make it better. I don’t see them cleaning one another but it does make sense. Thank u!