What is wrong with my silkies head?

[Thechickenchick2]

This is a 4-5 week old paint silkie..

When I bought him/her it had a small bald spot on its head but I just figured it would fill in.. it seems to be getting worse.

Is there something with it’s head? What could this be? Anything I can do for it?

 

[snow5164]

He might be getting bullied and pecked at . My one was almost bald once ... she looked like a dinosaur ... we added a rooster and now the girls are not so mean.

Is it a bump? Or just bald?

Watch how others treat him

 

[Thechickenchick2]

He might be getting bullied and pecked at . My one was almost bald once ... she looked like a dinosaur ... we added a rooster and now the girls are not so mean.

Is it a bump? Or just bald?

Watch how others treat him

I haven’t noticed anyone picking at it... the left side of his skull (our right) seems to have a little bit of a bigger bump..it seems he’s balding more and the size of his head is getting bigger as well

 

[snow5164]

Is he acting healthy? Eating? Pooping?

He looks so good , I’m not sure what to tell you . Are there new feathers coming in there? You don’t often see others pecking it often happens at night ...

Do you have enough room in the coop? How many birds?

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Is he acting healthy? Eating? Pooping?

He looks so good , I’m not sure what to tell you . Are there new feathers coming in there? You don’t often see others pecking it often happens at night ...

Do you have enough room in the coop? How many birds?

Yes! He’s super healthy and happy otherwise! I’ll have to keep an eye on them at night and see if I’m able to see anything! We have a screened in deck that we relax on often at nights and it would be very easy to also just hear anything and we don’t.. we only do from our bigger birds when the cockerels are on their mating missions. Thanks so much!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Looks like feather pecking to me. Unfortunately crested breeds often attract unwanted attention because of their crests. They are often at the bottom of the pecking order too. The bumps are likely his/her vaulted skull developing more. Due to the missing feathers it’s likely to appear more apparent. I would certainly keep an eye on the crest, if blood is drawn it could turn into a pecking frenzy.

Good luck with your cute little bird

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Looks like feather pecking to me. Unfortunately crested breeds often attract unwanted attention because of their crests. They are often at the bottom of the pecking order too. The bumps are likely his/her vaulted skull developing more. Due to the missing feathers it’s likely to appear more apparent. I would certainly keep an eye on the crest, if blood is drawn it could turn into a pecking frenzy.

Good luck with your cute little bird

Okay, that’s actually good news compared to my thought that something was really wrong with his skull. Thanks so much! I’ll make sure I keep a close eye!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Totally agree with @Yorkshire Coop

Do watch for head pecking especially if this is a single Silkie with standard size chicks, or worse, standard size birds.

Silkies are a magnate for bullying from other breed types, and the vaulted skull makes them vulnerable to head injury from larger birds.

If you haven't, you may need to separate out this little guy until it is older. Often you don't see the actual bullying only the results.

And I agree...that looks like feather pecking by others.

LofMc

 

[snow5164]

I had to remove my 3 silkie from the flock , they slept head first in a corner , do feather loss but they were fearful.... we added on a 5x5 foot coop and a 7x7 run... now they are happy , laying eggs and talking all day long , I’d move him out. They don’t always do well with other birds.

You won’t hear feather pulling or pecking

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@snow5164

x2

I had to move my Silkies out away from the flock into their own little coop and run.

EVERYONE was happier, and my Silkies then thrived.

They were no longer harassed all day long by the other birds, and much safer in their own little space, and could go broody when they wanted (which was often) without other hens bullying them off the nests.

I know others have successfully raised Silkies with mixed flocks, but I have not. My poor Silkies were always getting picked on.

LofMc