[Beano]

We bought two p.o.l. chickens this year. Lately I have noticed an increasing gap in the feathers. I have kept an eye on it and it has become worse. So tonight we had a closer look at her and noticed that her neck is bald in a patch around an inch and a half long. There is no reddness of her skin and no sign of feathers growing back. Some of the feathers below the bald area look weak and fluffy/matted. Some feathers close by look as if there is only a shafft half way up.  She is well in herself and laying every day. I hope it's not feather mite. Does anyone have an idea what could be the cause? It does not look like a partial moult. It has been there for a while and I havent been worried untill now when  I noticed that it is worse.

[ANHBUC]

Can you post some pictures Beano?

There is some mite information on HERE which may help.  If you also google for pictures of feather mites on poultry you may find some images to compare with your hen.   

[Helenaj]

She's not put her head through your fencing and rubbed the feathers away? Sometimes they try and graze outside of their pen and rub the feathers away all aorund the neck from the constant friction of the fence. Either that or could she be moulting? Half of mine are just at the tail end of thier moult - it's that time of year.

[Sassy]

They are both hens? :blink:

[Beano]

Thanks for the replies. She's not moulting it's just in this one place and there is no sign of any feathers coming through. They are chickens, I've been having eggs from both. As a matter of fact she is a prolific layer and looks really healthy. Her feathers have a lovely sheen and her comb and wattles are a healthy red. The skin looks calm and normal (appart from the lack of feathers) so she hasn't been rubbing against a fence.
I think I was wrong when I said it looked worse the other night. I think it shows up worse in the evening when her crop is full. I've had a look on the internet and at the pictures in the information sticky and there's nothing there that looks like it. We put a little "spot on" cat flea treatment on her the other night and I have thoroughly inspected and powdered the coop with DE powder. We'll have a look again over the weekend and take some photos to put on here.

[ANHBUC]

You will probably need to discard any eggs for a while if you have used the flea treatment. 

[mr.mellow]

See if the hen is being pecked, I have one hen that jumps on top of the others and always pulls at the neck feathers.

[Beano]

Here are some photos (hopefully

[ANHBUC]

It could be feather mites so you could try treating for that but you would not see any improvement until she has her next moult.  I have a similar hen that my neighbour found and I thought she was moulting but on closer inspection the feathers look damaged.  I have been dusting her with diatom and have given her a spray with frontline which was vet prescribed so I will just have to wait and see if that works.

[Beano]

Thanks for the response ANHBUC. I have also used frontline on my hen and powdered the coop with diatom. How bad is yours? Is it just on the neck area or does it spread? Is it something the others will catch?
I'll have to treat all of them if that is the case.
Apologies for all the questions.

[ANHBUC]

It is more widespread, I don't know if that is why the previous owners let her go (she was found wandering in our road).  I would think that it would be contagious if it is a mite.  It could be that you have killed the mites though and as I said you will not see an improvement until she moults and gets new feathers.

[Beano]

 I'll keep an eye on the others, just in case. Hope they both recover. Thanks again.

[ANHBUC]

I would give them a dusting with diatomaceous earth powder every week to be on the safe side.  Do be careful not to cause a dust cloud that they can inhale though.  You can also add it to a dust bath for them so they have a diy treatment. 

Fingers crossed for them both.