Please Help. How can I help my Sussex

[Cluckinchickens88]

I don't know what's wrong with my Sussex. I have 2 Sussex and 2 silkies. I believe one silkie is a rooster and the rest hens. No problems with any of the other chickens but the back of her neck looks terrible. Is this plucking? Does it look normal? I never see them pluck feathers. How can I help her? Help

 

[PatrickRoo]

It could possibly be the rooster plucking out her neck feathers. I have a rooster that will jump on one of my hen's back and begin to pluck out her neck feathers. If this is not the case, she could be beginning to molt her feathers, a perfectly normal process.

 

[Birdinhand]

I'd say the culprit is likely the rooster, when they mount the hen they hold on to their neck feathers. if the ratio of roosters to hens is too low then it's common to see bare spots on the back of the neck and on their back.

 

[Cluckinchickens88]

Thank you. But I don't think the rooster is mounting yet.
I haven't seen him try and they are all only 7 weeks old. Really young but I can definitely tell he is a rooster and the Sussex work both sexed

 

[Birdinhand]

I'd still keep an eye on him, they get randy early some times and don't really know why they are doing what they do but sometimes they are just mean spirited and overly domineering.

 

[Mrs. K]

Is there any chance that she stuck her head into something, and pulled it back out? I once had a bird with an injury on the side of her head, and that is what it was.

 

[chickens really]

Looks like Peking to me...If over crowded they peck..Too hot..Too brightly lite..Protein lacking....?

 

[aart]

I don't know what's wrong with my Sussex. I have 2 Sussex and 2 silkies. I believe one silkie is a rooster and the rest hens. No problems with any of the other chickens but the back of her neck looks terrible. Is this plucking? Does it look normal? I never see them pluck feathers. How can I help her? Help

How old are these birds?
How are they housed???..size of coop and run in feet by feet etc???
What and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[Cluckinchickens88]

How old are these birds?
How are they housed???..size of coop and run in feet by feet etc???
What and how exactly are you feeding?

They are 9 weeks old. They get natures best organic starter grower crumbles.
The coop is 4'x3' with attached run 8'x3'.
They free range from 3pm until they put themselves in the coop at night during the week after I get home from work and free range most of the day on the weekends.
They also get mealworm and corn snacks, spaghetti, rice, bread, and corn on the cob from our leftovers often and tons of centipedes that are under the bricks around my garage that I pull up for them everyday (we all have a lot of fun with that haha).
The coop is filled with river sand so they have tons of grit.
They all seem very healthy and happy aside from this which is just on the neck of the one Sussex, Nugget.
She's my favorite chicken. It doesn't seem to bother her but it is unsightly and I just hope it's not a sign of something more serious.

 

[aart]

At 9 weeks they may be growing new feathers in.
Juvenile molts can be pretty ugly
May be some pecking going on.
Keep the "corn snacks, spaghetti, rice, bread, and corn on the cob" to a minimum.