[Mystery] Balding flock of Brahmas

[BrahmaMama207]

Good morning, friends! On the whole, the flock is thriving. This is my 3rd year raising them. We have light, dark, and buff Brahmas. Six altogether. Two are bantams.

All but the light Brahma, Emily, are losing the feathers on their heads.

Aside from Hilda having lost some feathers on her back to Ruth’s pecking, I’ve not seen them pecking one another’s feathers

Their vents are healthy and fully feathered

I cannot find any mites on their bodies or in the coop

They self-serve dust bathe in sand, ash and diotamaceous earth

What on earth could be causing this?? Many thanks for your help

 

[Eggcessive]

Do they have at least 4 square feet of room for each chicken inside their coop? Are you letting them out to free range, or do you have a large run for them? Boredom, feeding less than 16-20% protein in a complete layer or all flock feed, and overcrowding are the main reasons for feather loss other than molting. Do you see any broken off feathers?

 

[HiEverybirdy]

What an adorable flock. Is Emily "grooming" all her friends?

 

[BrahmaMama207]

Do they have at least 4 square feet of room for each chicken inside their coop? Are you letting them out to free range, or do you have a large run for them? Boredom, feeding less than 16-20% protein in a complete layer or all flock feed, and overcrowding are the main reasons for feather loss other than molting. Do you see any broken off feathers?

Thanks for your note @Eggcessive!

The coop's footprint is 5.5 x 6', so that's 33 sq ft for 6 hens = 5.5 sq ft for each

The run is 5.5 x 21', so that's 115.5 sq ft, plus I let them out to free range for 20 min to 4 hours each day, depending.

I feed them blueseal multiflock pellets (22% crude protein) plus make oyster shells and grit avail at all times, for self-service.

Ruth pecked off a fair number of Hilda's tail feathers because she's like that - but aside from that, no broken feathers.

It's so mysterious! I keep wanting to treat them for mites with permethrin, but I just don't see any mites on them or the coop (nesting boxes, etc). I'd hate to treat them without cause.

What do you think? Let it be? Treat for mites and lice? Entertain them with toys or more ranging (we have a lot of hawks)?

 

[BrahmaMama207]

What an adorable flock. Is Emily "grooming" all her friends?

Thanks @HiEverybirdy ! Interestingly, Emily is a bit of a loner. She's in the middle of pecking order but hangs back a bit. She never bosses anyone around and I've never seen her do what Ruth does (play groomer).

I wonder if they're bored, like @Eggcessive suggests. If they were, what could I do to help fix that?

 

[dawg53]

Brahma's are big birds, I have Light Brahma's. You need to expand your coop some. There is picking going on.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Thanks @HiEverybirdy ! Interestingly, Emily is a bit of a loner. She's in the middle of pecking order but hangs back a bit. She never bosses anyone around and I've never seen her do what Ruth does (play groomer).

I wonder if they're bored, like @Eggcessive suggests. If they were, what could I do to help fix that?

Heads of lettuces and cabbages, watermelon, and pumpkins with a hole cut in its side are all good boredom busters.

 

[Eggcessive]

Look them over for lice and mites, especially on the lower belly between the legs and under the vent. Red roost mites may be on them at night, hiding in the coop during the day, while others may be on them day and night. I would only use chemicals if I saw evidence of lice/mites. This link has some good pictures of what to look for:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[BrahmaMama207]

Look them over for lice and mites, especially on the lower belly between the legs and under the vent. Red roost mites may be on them at night, hiding in the coop during the day, while others may be on them day and night. I would only use chemicals if I saw evidence of lice/mites. This link has some good pictures of what to look for:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

That is a gross and very educational article @Eggcessive . Thank you!

I’ll take a second look at the flock this afternoon

 

[BrahmaMama207]

Brahma's are big birds, I have Light Brahma's. You need to expand your coop some. There is picking going on.

I think you might be right @dawg53 . I can’t find any mites/lice

Brahmas are big!

here’s the coop. Six hens live here. You think it should be bigger?