[LizzyChick]

Hello everyone

I've had my chickens for a year now and one of them (my favourite!) has developed a nasty bald patch on her breast which seems to be getting bigger. She's otherwise fine, lays an egg nearly everyday and Queens it over all the other chickens. Its funny because unlike some of my other girls she never goes broody so its not like she's sitting in the nest box for ages rubbing her feathers off... Is this normal? Will her feathers ever grow back?
thanks,

Lizzy

[compostqueen]

Could it just be that she's moulting?  I think they call it neck moult

You could check the area to make sure there are no lodgers there, and while you have her in your hands, you could dust her with insecticidal powder (for poultry use that is)  Also, make sure she has somewhere to dust bathe as that does help keep their feathers free of bugs. You can sprinkle some of the powder in their bed and in the dust bath

Keep an eye on her as she could be plucking out her own feathers, or one of the other girls could be doing it. 

[LizzyChick]

Right I've dusted her for mites, but I had a look at her and her bedding and couldnt see any mites around. I suppose if she's otherwise OK I should just stop worrying...

[compostqueen]

They also can rub their chest feathers against their run netting so that sometimes looks as if their chest feathers are a bit iffy

You have to be vigilant for signs of mites and lice etc etc. They will shake their heads and scratch etc, stay out of the coop at bedtime, that sort of thing. If you keep them clean and maintain poo picking duties, have good hygiene then things should be fine. Keep a regular check on them (like the nit nurse at school  ) but a routine of dusting wouldn't hurt

[bantam novice]

Mites live in cracks and crevices inside the coop so you could take a piece of white paper and slide it in all the cracks and joints.  If it comes out stained reddish then you have redmite which have been feeding.