Molting, or Pecking by Another Hen, Or???

[nancypo]

I have 3 hens, and one has a fairly bare spot around the base of her neck, on her back, with the base of the feathers showing. This appeared after the weather got really cold (after a hot fall) and the girls were cooped up a lot. The skin looks ok, but I'm wondering if she starting to molt or if this sounds like another hen is picking on her, literally??? The area is about 3-4" wide and about 2" high. Any ideas??? Or could she be pulling her own feathers out?

I did start leaving the door open more for them to roam and get out more, reduce stress. I put a small ace bandage around her neck to protect it, but it came off a few days later and is somewhere in the coop...

 

[nancypo]

Any ideas???

 

[gameboygal12]

sounds kinda like a rooster could have done it. They have something called "hen saddles" that protect her from roosters. Or i could be molting because when a hen molts, they do it patches at a time.

 

[nancypo]

Thanks. I did see the "hen aprons/saddles", thinking I may make one or two.... She'll be cold if she moults in 20-30 degree weather

 

[gameboygal12]

Yea.. some chickens are late molters and might get chilled if the weather is cold. you might ever need to get her a chicken sweater!

 

[nancypo]

We had an unusually hot fall, so I'll keep an eye on her. I just was hoping no one was pecking on her