I HAVE A 1 YEAR OLD ROOSTER THAT STARTED LOOSING FEATHERS IN MAY HE IS NOW BALD ALL DOWN HIS NECK AND BACK ? I HAVE A SMALL AFRICAN WATER FOUL HEN IN WITH THEM COULD SHE BE THE CAUSE.

-- daniel shipe (shipedandonna@aol.com), May 30, 2000

Answers

Yup, she could be doing it, so could the other chickens. If you can catch him, look him over carefully for any signs of parasites or damage. Make sure he's got someplace to take a nice dust bath. You might consider adding some clean wood ashes and/or insecticidal Diatamacious earth to the spot. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), June 05, 2000.

He could be Molting (Its the way chikens shed). Rooster will not mate and hens will not lay when molting

-- William Duke (persian86@go.com), August 27, 2000.