Rooster is molting early?

[Keys2Hades]

My rooster isn’t even a year old (so I guess he’s still a cockrel) and it seems that he’s molting? He’s slowly losing feathers on his neck, and the skin is bright red. I would be very alarmed except he’s not acting any different and I haven’t seen any insects in the coop. The ladies are all fine as well. My main concern is that it’s getting very cold (I live in Maine and we’ll be expecting snow in a couple weeks) I don’t want him to get frostbite. He’s always been skittish, so I can’t get a good look at him. I’d never be able to take him to a vet, and if there’s one around here that will come to our house, they’d literally have to tranquilize him to look at it. I don’t want to pay all that money and put him and the ladies through all that stress unless it was necessary! Thanks in advance.

 

[Pullet Press]

My rooster isn’t even a year old (so I guess he’s still a cockrel) and it seems that he’s molting? He’s slowly losing feathers on his neck, and the skin is bright red. I would be very alarmed except he’s not acting any different and I haven’t seen any insects in the coop. The ladies are all fine as well. My main concern is that it’s getting very cold (I live in Maine and we’ll be expecting snow in a couple weeks) I don’t want him to get frostbite. He’s always been skittish, so I can’t get a good look at him. I’d never be able to take him to a vet, and if there’s one around here that will come to our house, they’d literally have to tranquilize him to look at it. I don’t want to pay all that money and put him and the ladies through all that stress unless it was necessary! Thanks in advance.

He could have mites, or could be stressed out. This year would make me molt early too.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Welcome to BYC!!

Have you checked for pests like lice or mites?
How old is he exactly, in months?
Some pullets/cockerels will go through a mini molt. Some molt closer to the winter than I would prefer, if only they would molt when I would prefer them to molt.

 

[Keys2Hades]

He could have mites, or could be stressed out. This year would make me molt early too.

I’ve checked for mites and lice, but haven’t found any. They had mites earlier this year so I’ve been a bit obsessed about checking. The ladies are fine too, that’s why I’m so befuddled

 

[Pullet Press]

I’ve checked for mites and lice, but haven’t found any. They had mites earlier this year so I’ve been a bit obsessed about checking. The ladies are fine too, that’s why I’m so befuddled

Is he under any stress, maybe being bullied by the hens?

 

[Keys2Hades]

Welcome to BYC!!

Have you checked for pests like lice or mites?
How old is he exactly, in months?
Some pullets/cockerels will go through a mini molt. Some molt closer to the winter than I would prefer, if only they would molt when I would prefer them to molt.

No mites or lice that I can see on the chickens or in the coop. Eight months old exactly. He started in mid October, which was why I had thought it was a molt.

 

[Keys2Hades]

Is he under any stress, maybe being bullied by the hens?

They all seem pretty happy, even the hens are nicer to each other than what I’ve seen, but he is a very skittish guy, so maybe he’s feeling stressed.

 

[CluckerFamily]

No mites or lice that I can see on the chickens or in the coop. Eight months old exactly. He started in mid October, which was why I had thought it was a molt.

What is his ranking on the pecking order? Has it shifted lately?

 

[Keys2Hades]

What is his ranking on the pecking order? Has it shifted lately?

It’s been difficult to understand their pecking order because they’re all very laid back, they almost never peck each other. His comb only has a couple places where I can see he’s been pecked. The ladies seem to mostly ignore him, but they don’t resist him when he, um... gets frisky.

 

[CluckerFamily]

If they peck him a little, it may be happening at night while roosting. I'm wondering if more pecking is going on at night while they situate themselves.