Strange Hen Behavior

[alohamade]

Hi everyone,
I have a 3/4 year old free ranging hen that is definitely undergoing something. She is missing feathers under her neck and a few areas around her face. She has tiny black spots on her comb, and she’s always in a squawking mood. She still lays eggs and eats her food. Can’t tell what she’s going through. Any advice would help on what to do. Just recently I noticed her behavior, and it doesn’t seem to get better. Here are a few photos.

 

[aart]

So 9 months old?
Does she have other birds in her flock?
They might be picking feathers.

Are the black spots moving?
Could be dry pox, virus spread my mosquitoes, nothing to worry about.

or....

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

 

[alohamade]

So 9 months old?
Does she have other birds in her flock?
They might be picking feathers.

Are the black spots moving?
Could be dry pox, virus spread my mosquitoes, nothing to worry about.

or....

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Thank you for your advice!
She is about 3-4 years old. She is high up in the pecking order with the other hens, and they show no signs of bulling. I have noticed her black spots moving. Coming and going.
I dust my flock every once in a while to control the mites. I’ll definitely look into what dry pox is.
Thank you for your time and expertise!

 

[aart]

I have noticed her black spots moving. Coming and going.

Fowl pox can come and go, over weeks of time.
Mites move all the time, like insects do.