[lord flynn]

I have a 2yo cock in with about 10 (need to count them!) hens of different breeds. Although I've not seen who is doing it, they were plucking out the feathers from his neck. Purple spray seemed to have got on top of that and now she/they are taking feathers from the top of his head? No sigh of parasites, he's the only one, they are free range and I've taken alot of pains to see they get enough protein. They are currently on breeder pellets. He's treading and I have a batch of eggs in the incy that are all fertile from his breed. He's a good example of the breed but he looks a mess atm although doesn't appear to be hurt-the skin is not raw etc, just bald.

anything else I can do? I watched them as much as I could at the weekend but didnt see a thing-dusted him with powder just in case.

[JulieWall]

Sounds as if he is coming into his first moult, is that likely or has he already had that?

[lord flynn]

no, he had his moult back in September, quite a dramatic one and it had all grown in nicely, all feather casings gone etc.

[chrismahon]

He's not a Wyandotte by any chance Lord Flynn? I say that because we have had repeated problems like that with Wyandottes only. And they stand there and let them do it! We have has cases of head lice with other breeds where a spray of Frontline stopped what I only assumed were there but never saw. We have identified the culprit pecking at our new cockerel and she is now fitted with a Bumpa Beak Bit (from Omlet). The feather pecking has stopped.

[lord flynn]

no, he's a Scots Grey. Hopefully now its lighter I'll get to see who it is. might see if I can dose him with frontline/ivermectin as well.

[HesterF]

Could you move him out for a bit to see if that breaks the habit? Maybe they'd just transfer to a different bird though.

[lord flynn]

I'm going to have to, although I can't really house him separately unless I really have to as it'll stress him out (moved him out while he was moulting). I suspect it could be the araucana or one of the Marsh Daisies so I am going to move them in with the older araucana in a separate pen. See if changing the pecking order makes a difference!

[lord flynn]

well, all of his head feathers are growing back in. so could it be a strange moult? He did moult rather dramatically last August-but not on his head!?

[chrismahon]

I have heard of mini- moults Lord Flynn, where they start and stop for no apparent reason, completing the process later in the year. But a pretty rare thing I think. Also our cockerel stopped mid-moult due to illness and restarted where he left off 6 months earlier.

[lord flynn]

no sign of any illness but we did move the start of October before he'd really finished the last one? plus they were moved from a relatively sheltered site to an exposed one.