Losing head feathers and yellow combs

[Darmer]

Two of my hens started losing their head feathers this week. Today they developed a yellow discharge on the bald spots and on their combs. What is this and how do I treat it?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Two of my hens started losing their head feathers this week. Today they developed a yellow discharge on the bald spots and on their combs. What is this and how do I treat it?

How old are these hens?

That looks like rooster damage causing the feather loss and maybe egg yolk showing someone's got issues with egg eaters.. maybe an egg broken and caused a happy accident??

I have never YET seen a medical condition that causes discharge THAT color without some very serious stinky funk smell that accompanied the condition and way more lesions and blister looking swollen red wound type things. They should clean up fine... consider separating your boy while he gains some manners or maybe get them some helmets.

If it isn't a cockerel causing the feather loss, then it may be bullying (presuming a rooster would have outgrown that and the ladies have normal not brittle feather qualities).. but that's a very telling feather loss pattern.. from being held onto while mounted. Sometimes roost set up and spacing can impact evening time feather plucking antics and observing who looks pristine in the vicinity might clue you in on who's doing what. My guess though is a those are the favored ladies to spread seed to.

Those broken and missing feathers may or may not grow back in until they molt. Hard to say for sure as there are so many factors that effect it. Full body pic or vent pic is needed to see if there is any additional discernible parasite related feather damage. Anyways, doesn't look like any cause for panic. Just a call to possible alter the set op or gender ratio's some to help it work better for these gals.

Good luck!

 

[Darmer]

How old are these hens?

That looks like rooster damage causing the feather loss and maybe egg yolk showing someone's got issues with egg eaters.. maybe an egg broken and caused a happy accident??

I have never YET seen a medical condition that causes discharge THAT color without some very serious stinky funk smell that accompanied the condition and way more lesions and blister looking swollen red wound type things. They should clean up fine... consider separating your boy while he gains some manners or maybe get them some helmets.

If it isn't a cockerel causing the feather loss, then it may be bullying (presuming a rooster would have outgrown that and the ladies have normal not brittle feather qualities).. but that's a very telling feather loss pattern.. from being held onto while mounted. Sometimes roost set up and spacing can impact evening time feather plucking antics and observing who looks pristine in the vicinity might clue you in on who's doing what. My guess though is a those are the favored ladies to spread seed to.

Those broken and missing feathers may or may not grow back in until they molt. Hard to say for sure as there are so many factors that effect it. Full body pic or vent pic is needed to see if there is any additional discernible parasite related feather damage. Anyways, doesn't look like any cause for panic. Just a call to possible alter the set op or gender ratio's some to help it work better for these gals.

Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. I didn’t consider egg yolk! I will check more closely. We do not have any roosters. I will keep an eye out to see if they’re being bullied by some of the other hens.