Young hen having feathers on head pecked off!

[SurferchickinSB]

Usually if I clip a beak I'll give it a little file- not the nails, just the beak.
The scissor-type cat claw trimmers work really well for this- loads of control- can take off very precise amounts with little risk of causing cracks.

I’ve used a rotary dog nail trimmer, it’s like a sander that spins and you can give a nice rounded filing to your chickens beaks and you don’t have to worry about cracking their beaks with the sander.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do I need to file them after I clip them?
And with holding her chin up, do you mean do it while every one is watching, for how long? And how many times?
And im a firm believer that all animals have feelings and can love

A magnet is a great idea!! We don't have a harbor freight though, but Maybe I could order it online.

Do you happen to have any easy ideas for a low perch?

If you have a Lowes/Home Depot you may be able to find one of those magnets there.

I really see no need to file or clip beaks unless they are overgrown. Space and boredom are likely your main problem. When we get photos we may come up with better ideas.
She may also be overmated by the cockerel.

For low perches in my run, I just use sturdy saplings that I cut down. I have a lot of Poplar that comes up, so I just use those - about 2-3" in diameter. Secure them in the corners of the run.

Weeds growing in the dirt won't hurt anything, just dump the dirt weeds and all in the run, your birds will dig around, nip at the plants, bugs, etc.

 

[Shadrach]

I have a small young black bantam cochin who now has a bald spot right on the top of her head. Either the rooster (also a black cochin bantam) is pulling them out when he's mating with her or the other 2, which are white silkie bantams, are pecking them out. She's much smaller than all the others and is just the sweetest thing I've ever seen but the other girls bully her. And now that it's completely bald when the silkie girls are being mean to her they are now hitting her bare skin. I'm afraid she's going to start bleeding soon... Is there anything I can get to put on her skin to make them stop? Like a cream? Or something to help her feathers grow back?
I have absolutely no way to separate them

Apply a coat of Stockholm Hoof Tar. The feathers will grow back underneath, the hens and rooster wont pick at it and you'll have something reasonably cheap and very effective to use on other injuries if necessary.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-and-injuries-with-stockholm-hoof-tar.74400/

 

[MissRaychel91]

I thought the pics posted but they never did im sorry, here they are!

The first pics are the run and coop.
The last pic is what I bought yesterday, they both stain blue, the hen healer is a balm and the kote is a spray since they were all out of the lotion kind.

I'm also about to post pictures of the birds

 

[MissRaychel91]

Here's Henrietta's bald spot

This shows her size compared to the others

This is my beautiful rooster, Axle. He can be so sweet! But he can also be a little devil lol

Here's Abigal (the bully) and Zander our other silky girl, which we originally thought was a boy, hence the name lol.
Zander is the bearded and Abby had the bright blue ears.

 

[Shezadandy]

Here's Henrietta's bald spot
View attachment 1754121
View attachment 1754130
This shows her size compared to the others
View attachment 1754122

This is my beautiful rooster, Axle. He can be so sweet! But he can also be a little devil lol

View attachment 1754126
View attachment 1754127
Here's Abigal (the bully) and Zander our other silky girl, which we originally thought was a boy, hence the name lol.
Zander is the bearded and Abby had the bright blue ears.
View attachment 1754128
View attachment 1754129

That's definitely from mating. Just keep an eye out for blood. Unfortunately roosters only have the one way they can grab and balance. Do keep an eye out for a bald patch in the middle of her back - it will start as a relatively small thing- at least those you can use a saddle, but the top of the head - short of separating her from the rooster, it's just a fact of life.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here's Henrietta's bald spot
View attachment 1754121
View attachment 1754130
This shows her size compared to the others
View attachment 1754122

This is my beautiful rooster, Axle. He can be so sweet! But he can also be a little devil lol

View attachment 1754126
View attachment 1754127
Here's Abigal (the bully) and Zander our other silky girl, which we originally thought was a boy, hence the name lol.
Zander is the bearded and Abby had the bright blue ears.
View attachment 1754128
View attachment 1754129

Looks like from mating to me too.
The skin looks o.k. right now, I would just keep watch on it. As @Shezadandy mentioned that is where the cockerel hangs on.

I would dump some more of that dirt you have in the run for them to scratch through. Any weeds that are in it, they will kill quickly. I know it's a lot of work, just dump a couple of buckets in every couple of days, they will spread it all out for you! Love chickens for that - I can cut open a bale of straw and just leave them to it - in several hours they have it spread every which away, same as a bag of shavings in the coop

 

[MissRaychel91]

That's definitely from mating. Just keep an eye out for blood. Unfortunately roosters only have the one way they can grab and balance. Do keep an eye out for a bald patch in the middle of her back - it will start as a relatively small thing- at least those you can use a saddle, but the top of the head - short of separating her from the rooster, it's just a fact of life.

Actually she has a bare spot on her back, but she got pooped on right in the middle and I actually didn't find it until probably days later because it was hard, I was going to give her a bath the next day but the poop and the feathers it was stuck to was gone.. thought it was prob really uncomfortable so she picked it out or something..

 

[MissRaychel91]

I think you all are right about it being mating. She is so submissive that he is always mating with her more than the others. The others are broody so they mostly chase him off or run away. But not my little girl...
Is there anything I can give her to make her feathers grow back quickly? How long does it usually take?
As for abby bullying her im going to start working on getting their run finished immediately and start giving them more to do in there.
I really really appreciate all the advice, it makes me more sure on what to do and if I am doing something right.

 

[Shezadandy]

I think you all are right about it being mating. She is so submissive that he is always mating with her more than the others. The others are broody so they mostly chase him off or run away. But not my little girl...
Is there anything I can give her to make her feathers grow back quickly? How long does it usually take?
As for abby bullying her im going to start working on getting their run finished immediately and start giving them more to do in there.
I really really appreciate all the advice, it makes me more sure on what to do and if I am doing something right.

In my experience, they don't get much back until they molt. =(
BUT you can get her a hen saddle/apron.

I like the Hen Saver ones. I've only had a couple hens ever get theirs off, and they seem to hold up really well. Also, the material gives the rooster good traction so he doesn't slide off a slicker material and injure her as he tries to get a grip. These are sold on Amazon too - but here's the direct manufacturer website.

http://crazykfarm.mybigcommerce.com/hen-saver-hen-apron-saddle-made-in-USA/

Size wise, I've found they tend to run big. Almost every hen in my flock takes a MEDIUM - and I have ZERO bantams, and only a couple leghorns. Though they'll say a medium would be up to a bantam. I've got breeds of all shapes and sizes, and the only ones taking a large would be my giant Speckled Sussex ladies (8lbs) - my Australorps, Buff O's, Barred Rocks, Wyandottes and so on all end up in a medium. If the fabric is too long and it rubs on their tail - it can make their tail feathers fall out.

Anyways- if in doubt, order a couple sizes and just be sure the tail isn't rubbed by the hen saddle. Without one, that spot will continue to get bigger as she's mated multiple times a day. They do make shoulder protectors that protect the edge of the wings- out of 100 hens or so, only one ever had her wings made bare by a mating roo in our flock. The single strap usually suffices - just slips over each wing. The double takes it around the neck, which I REALLY don't like.