My hen is all baldy -- What would be causing this?

[Chick_a_dee]

I have a hen that's had a baldy head since around the winter. She started losing feathers on the top of her head, and now they're completely gone and it's just skin there. I've looked for mites, or lice, and none of the hens are pecking her.

She's the only hen missing feathers on top of her head, and I dust them with DE as well as the coop.

What could be causing this?

 

[JayBird+16]

Do you have a Roo? My Roos pull on the hens heads for balance during their romantic encounters.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Nope, no Roosters here!

 

[JayBird+16]

I she sticking her head through a fence or a hole to get at something out of reach? I have two 2nd hand chickens with no throat or head feathers from reaching throught a fence repeatedly and rubbing their feather off. I'm hoping they grow back at the next molt.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Not that I can tell, their run has 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom 2 feet and theres nothing to stick her head through in the coop. The only place she could stick her head through is smooth, and she's not missing any neck feathers.

 

[JayBird+16]

Well, sorry I could help, but that's all I've got. Good Luck.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

No more advice from anyone else?

 

[ranchhand]

Perhaps other hens picking at her during the night? I have a bald rear roo because the hens peck him at night.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I haven't been in there at night so as far as I know she's not getting beat up during the day, but I'll spray her with some no pick and see what happens.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I would think the other chickens are probably picking her bald. I just posted in another thread about this happening to one of my roosters.