Yes birds will find/make their own dust bathing area if they can, it doesn't have to be something you provided, but if they are confined in an area where the surface or conditions don't allow for that then it is something to consider. Clearly your girls have a suitable area, so that's fine.
Like all creatures, some have a lower tolerance for insect bites/irritation than others. I have a horse that suffers sweet itch and will scrub himself raw after being bitten by midges, whilst others in the field will not, so it may be an allergic reaction to insects or other environmental conditions.
You could try a chicken saddle or apron which would protect her skin from the sun as well as whatever is causing the baldness....either herself by over preening or others. If it is dry and irritated looking, I might put some antiseptic ointment on it under the saddle.
As regards poultry mites and lice it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with what they are and where to look for them, so that you can keep a regular check on your flock and treat before things get too out of hand.
Lice live and breed on the chicken. They are more of an irritant than a serious health issue and will often be found in larger numbers on sick birds that are no longer well enough to dust bath and look after themselves..... leading people to believe they are what is killing their chicken. In fact, they live off dead skin debris and dander, not blood, so they are not draining the chickens vitality. They lay their eggs at the base of the feather shafts where they can be seen as thick grey clumps stuck tightly to the feathers near the skin. The vent area and under the wings are favourite places for this as they are warmest. The lice themselves are very small pale brown/tan coloured and oval shaped with a head at one end.
Mites live and breed in the cracks and crevices of the coop, particularly near where the chickens roost (under the roost ends is a favourite place), because they crawl onto the chickens at night whilst they are roosting to suck their blood. Obviously this is a health risk and can cause anaemia as well as spread disease between chickens. The mites turn red when they are engorged with blood and can survive up to 9 months I believe on one feast of chicken blood. They are more like a crab shape although they are so tiny you will struggle to make that out and will leave a blood stain when squished. They can multiply very quickly particularly in the warmer summer months and broody hens are at particular risk because it affords them a 24/7 banquet opportunity. I use a soft dustpan brush to sweep debris from the nooks and crannies of the coop onto the dustpan and then tip it onto a light coloured surface and squash anything that moves. If it leaves a red smear, I know it's time to treat the coop.
If you use google to search for images of poultry mites and lice respectively, you will get a better idea of what to look for, than just by written description.
Best wishes
Barbara
Like all creatures, some have a lower tolerance for insect bites/irritation than others. I have a horse that suffers sweet itch and will scrub himself raw after being bitten by midges, whilst others in the field will not, so it may be an allergic reaction to insects or other environmental conditions.
You could try a chicken saddle or apron which would protect her skin from the sun as well as whatever is causing the baldness....either herself by over preening or others. If it is dry and irritated looking, I might put some antiseptic ointment on it under the saddle.
As regards poultry mites and lice it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with what they are and where to look for them, so that you can keep a regular check on your flock and treat before things get too out of hand.
Lice live and breed on the chicken. They are more of an irritant than a serious health issue and will often be found in larger numbers on sick birds that are no longer well enough to dust bath and look after themselves..... leading people to believe they are what is killing their chicken. In fact, they live off dead skin debris and dander, not blood, so they are not draining the chickens vitality. They lay their eggs at the base of the feather shafts where they can be seen as thick grey clumps stuck tightly to the feathers near the skin. The vent area and under the wings are favourite places for this as they are warmest. The lice themselves are very small pale brown/tan coloured and oval shaped with a head at one end.
Mites live and breed in the cracks and crevices of the coop, particularly near where the chickens roost (under the roost ends is a favourite place), because they crawl onto the chickens at night whilst they are roosting to suck their blood. Obviously this is a health risk and can cause anaemia as well as spread disease between chickens. The mites turn red when they are engorged with blood and can survive up to 9 months I believe on one feast of chicken blood. They are more like a crab shape although they are so tiny you will struggle to make that out and will leave a blood stain when squished. They can multiply very quickly particularly in the warmer summer months and broody hens are at particular risk because it affords them a 24/7 banquet opportunity. I use a soft dustpan brush to sweep debris from the nooks and crannies of the coop onto the dustpan and then tip it onto a light coloured surface and squash anything that moves. If it leaves a red smear, I know it's time to treat the coop.
If you use google to search for images of poultry mites and lice respectively, you will get a better idea of what to look for, than just by written description.
Best wishes
Barbara
