What’s wrong with this guys head?

[schambo]

Roughly 4 week old barred rock chick. Is this just normal molting of fuzz as he feathers out? He looks like Beetlejuice

 

[Kung_pao]

He looks like a cute little striped buzzard lol. Did he scorch his head on a heat lamp or maybe he rubbed it raw on the top of the brooder?

 

[Tookie]

Looks like feather picking to me, does he get picked on? How long has it been like that?
Also, his feet look a bit rough, are they okay?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is he with others all the same age? His head looks like some of his feathers are getting pecked out by the black dots seen. They do look a bit funny when they are growing at this age. By 6 weeks most chickens are fully feathered. How large is their brooder? How many chicks?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Roughly 4 week old barred rock chick. Is this just normal molting of fuzz as he feathers out?

Agree with others.. he's been plucked or possibly narrowly missed a scalping by a predator like hawks, etc.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Roughly 4 week old barred rock chick. Is this just normal molting of fuzz as he feathers out?

Can you post photos of his feet in better lighting? Bottom of them too?

What's being fed and how long have you had him?

 

[schambo]

Don’t think it’s a heat injury, and there’s no sign of other trauma. I use a brooder plate, not a lamp, and I have felt the plate - not even close to hot enough to burn.

There are 4 same-age chicks (hatch mates) in a 3 sq. ft. kennel in our coop. The big birds can’t really get much access to them.

He eats a standard, decent quality chick starter from the feed store.

I have seen a bit of evidence of a rat lurking (working on extermination), maybe he got narrowly missed by that?

 

[schambo]

Also, I think his feet are fine? Curled awkwardly from the way I’m holding him, and pink instead of yellow likely due to some lower quality breeding stock in his gene pool. What do you think you’re seeing, @Wyorp Rock and @Tookie?

 

[Tookie]

Don’t think it’s a heat injury, and there’s no sign of other trauma. I use a brooder plate, not a lamp, and I have felt the plate - not even close to hot enough to burn.

There are 4 same-age chicks (hatch mates) in a 3 sq. ft. kennel in our coop. The big birds can’t really get much access to them.

He eats a standard, decent quality chick starter from the feed store.

I have seen a bit of evidence of a rat lurking (working on extermination), maybe he got narrowly missed by that?

I'm not sure it's from a rat, I feel like there'd be blood and more scabs, and that spot is a common place for being picked at.

 

[Tookie]

Also, I think his feet are fine? Curled awkwardly from the way I’m holding him, and pink instead of yellow likely due to some lower quality breeding stock in his gene pool. What do you think you’re seeing, @Wyorp Rock and @Tookie?

His feet just look a bit puffy, that's all. He doesn't seem bothered by them right?