Why does chickens have bare spots?

Answer 1

Possibly because she has a territorial or heirarchical problem with the other hen(s). When hens hassle eat other, it sometimes manifests by pecking attacks to the head. Try sequestering the hen for a day or two and see if this situation changes.

Answer 2

Chicks grow rapidly after emerging from the shell. Fluffy balls soon develop new growth soon to be feathers. Not all feathers grow at the same time and for the first days/weeks after the fluff is gone the birds can look disheveled and scruffy. Bare spots with little or no growth and areas with new feathers stuck together like they have been sweating heavily. This is normal. Bare, bleeding spots are signs of feather pecking and cannibalism. This means the chicks are getting too crowded and too much light. Try moving them to bigger quarters and if heat from a light bulb is still needed change to a red or blue colored bulb. Mange is not common to chicks, a form of it can affect older birds with the mite that causes it but is easily controlled with dusting powder.

Answer 3

There are a number of reasons why chickens lose feathers and leave a bare spot.

When the rooster mates with the hen, he often grabs her by the back of the neck with his beak to force her down into mating position. This can pluck out feathers.

When he stands on her back to mate it dislodges feathers and when she is in her prime years (months to 36 months) she can lose all the feathers from the saddle (area between the wings mid to lower back). This is normal.

Chickens go into Moult once per year for about two months. This is the time the shed feathers and start to grow new ones. Egg laying slows also.

One other thing, if the hen has feathers missing from the front of her neck to the chest area she is likely feeding through wire or Fencing to get at the other side where plants are prime. This wears away the feathers in this area.

Answer 4

Baby chicks with bald spots may indicate a mite infestation. In older chickens bald spots are an indication of fights with other chickens.

Answer 5

Chickens get a bald butt from two things. One is that another more dominant hen is pulling her feathers out. The other is molt, which is the annual shedding of old feathers.

Answer 6

because it has lost hair