Advice needed! Chicken has sore looking red skin

[Dayzee]

Hello, I am new here so for forgive me if this is a question that has been asked before. I tried searching the forum but could not find this topic.

We have four brown hens that we are keeping in the back garden. One of them has recently developed a patch of sore looking red skin over her crop. Her feathers also seem to have come out in this area. She doesn't seem to be in any pain (even when we examined her closely) and seems otherwise healthy and active. I could not find any mites or anything amongst her feathers. I don't think that she is being pecked by the other chickens as she is the boss chicken!

Has anyone come across this before? Is it something I should be worried about? These are my first chickens!

Thanks for any advice you can give.
Dayzee

[flower]

how old is she? could she be moulting?

is she showing any sign of broodiness?
sometimes chooks pluck away chest and belly feathers so that their warm little bodies can warm their eggs.

if another chicken was pecking feathers the baldness would more likely be found on her head or bum.

if you see any suggestion of blood, get her out of there sharpish cos the others will peck at wounds mercilessly. You can buy a foul tasting, purple spray if this happens.

good luck, Tara.

[Dayzee]

Thanks. I think she is just a bit broody. Her skin is still a bit red but she still seems perfectly healthy. She does sit on the eggs in the mornings and growls or pecks me if I try to take them away, although she will get off the nest later.