Rooster has bare spot on neck

[cluckmecoop7]

My 16ish week old cockerel has a bare spot on the side of his neck. I just noticed this today because I’ve been away for a week. Upon further examination it is bare of both sides of the neck. Oh, and he recently started crowing. Is it something to be concerned about?
(Btw, his eye is fine; he is just blinking in the first photo)

 

[Eggcessive]

Could he be starting to molt? He also could be getting feather picked by another chicken.

 

[Eggcessive]

Starter is pretty much the same as all flock/flock raiser. It contains only 1% calcium, compared to 4% calcium in layer feed. Then check the protein level, and stick with something 16-20%. More protein than that is not necessary. Stick with something decent, and fresh from your feed store.

 

[FunClucks]

I had a chicken that feather plucked. She was named Feather, ironically. In less than an hour she pulled all the feathers off of another ~ 6 wk old pullet. Like the entire back half of her back. Your rooster is definitely getting feather plucked. I tried isolation for the aggressor, but it didn't work for us. My solution was to rehome Feather. However, I was feeding 18% Purina Flock raiser, free choice grit, they were in a permanently covered run, and none of mine are old enough to lay yet.

If you find a solution for the behavior, please let me know, cause I suspect that now my rooster and a few older (3.5 month) hens are doing this, although not to the extent Feather was doing it. The older chickens have free choice eggshells in addition to 18% protein flock raiser (Purina) and grit. They have plenty of protein, grit, calcium, and lots of other feathers in the run they could eat (molting? heat?), so not sure why they'd be plucking feathers from each other.

 

[BDutch]

Ok. I'll switch asap. Is it ok to give them layer crumble at first since they're used to crumble?

Layer is not meant for roosters. It’s too high in Calcium and not balanced for roosters. All flock with oyster shells on the side is better.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you are feeding chick starter grower, that has more protein in it than layer. Check your feed bag or look it up. Most chick starter grower is 18-20% protein. Layer is 16%% most of the time. I had a rooster in my flock that had layer feed about half the time. He lived a long life with no issues. But if you prefer to switch to an allflock/flock raiser feed that is 20%, you should offer crushed oyster shell in a separate container than the feed. Crumbles or pellets, it doesn’t matter. If you change do it gradually over a week or so, with a little of each in the feeders. Everyone has different opinions on feeding roosters layer feed. Much higher protein can indeed cause gout in roosters. That can lead to arthritis and kidney damage, but one would need to feed 30% or more. I always fed flock raiser to my chickens when I had young chicks and juveniles. Layer can be introduced when they are close to laying, and that varies with breeds. At 20 weeks was what I did. Some start at 16 weeks if they have hybrids that can start laying early. But if you have crushed oyster shell available, you can feed all flock or layer.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Could he be starting to molt? He also could be getting feather picked by another chicken.

How do I tell if he’s molting?
Also, he seems very wobbly and hot today.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Anybody?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Too young to molt. He's getting plucked, possible attacked. I'm thinking more plucked. Check out other birds in the flock as well. Also check for mites.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Too young to molt. He's getting plucked, possible attacked. I'm thinking more plucked. Check out other birds in the flock as well. Also check for mites.

Could you please explain what you mean about checking the other birds? Also where and how should I check for mites? I kinda did on a couple of them but didn't see anything.