What is wrong with rooster's neck?

[katelk]

I have an English Orpington rooster. He molted in the fall/early winter.
Since his molt, a section of his feathers on his neck have just not grown back.
It is a strip about 1-2 inches wide and goes down the front-right side of his throat area.
I can see little feather "nubs" and what look like a few pin feathers that are about a half inch or so long, but this is the way it has looked for about 3 months now. The feathers just don't seem to be growing at all, and the exposed skin is very red (maybe from always being exposed to the cold?) the skin is not dry at all.
Is this just something to do with molting that will eventually resolve itself? It has been so long I am just worried and want to be sure this is not something I need to do something about.
He is in good health and otherwise and acts normal. They are due for a worming, but other than that, everything is great as far as I know.
What could this be?

 

[MrsBrooke]

I would clean him off with some warm soapy water and apply a little iodine (or Blu-Kote) to his skin. It will turn his skin nice and brown/blue with some medicinal agents as well. You will want to repeat this at least once a day until his feathers have grown back in to avoid other chickens targeting him.

Also, check your birds for mites and lice. After they go to roost, flip them upside down and part the feathers around the vent. If you see little, tiny bugs scatter, head to your local Lowes/Home Depot/garden supply store and pick up some Sevin dust. It's possible, if he's got a case of lice, he may have scratched and itched his feathers right off. Check his ear lobes for clear bugs or eggs at the base of the feather shaft around his vent.

If he's all clear of creepies, it's possible he's getting pecked... The iodine covering up his redness should help with that.

Plus, feathers are protein. You could offer him some meal worms or boiled egg to kick start his feather growth.

Keep us posted!

MrsB

 

[katelk]

I would clean him off with some warm soapy water and apply a little iodine (or Blu-Kote) to his skin. It will turn his skin nice and brown/blue with some medicinal agents as well. You will want to repeat this at least once a day until his feathers have grown back in to avoid other chickens targeting him.

Also, check your birds for mites and lice. After they go to roost, flip them upside down and part the feathers around the vent. If you see little, tiny bugs scatter, head to your local Lowes/Home Depot/garden supply store and pick up some Sevin dust. It's possible, if he's got a case of lice, he may have scratched and itched his feathers right off. Check his ear lobes for clear bugs or eggs at the base of the feather shaft around his vent.

If he's all clear of creepies, it's possible he's getting pecked... The iodine covering up his redness should help with that.

Plus, feathers are protein. You could offer him some meal worms or boiled egg to kick start his feather growth.

Keep us posted!

MrsB

I don't THINK he is getting pecked... There doesn't seem to be any trauma to the skin like scraped or anything. The bare patch is actually in a position where you may not even notice it unless you look close because the feathers around the patch act as a type of "comb-over" that hides it. So it doesn't seem like a big red target. I do have some iodine wipes on hand though and will give it a dose of that.

I will definitely check for buggies. They usually are good on that front, but I haven't dusted them in awhile so Lord knows as soon as you become complacent those little suckers move in hard.
He is a solid black roo so I have always had trouble spotting the bugs on him. I hope that's all it is!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Grab a good, bright light and be sure and peer deeply into his........... soul.

MrsB