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I have a chick pecking the other chicks feathers out and eating them

post #1 of 16
6/1/12 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 

Why is she doing this and how can I get her to stop?  Does she need a supplement??  I see her eating feathers all the time off the ground.  she is 10 weeks old.

1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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post #2 of 16
6/1/12 at 11:10am

mine have been doing that since i put them in their run at five weeks old.i have not seen them pull feathers out.but just pick them off the ground.

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post #3 of 16
6/1/12 at 11:38am
Thread Starter 

well, she[s picking them out and the other chick squacks (i am tired and can't spell that word today) a loud noise every 3 seconds LOL.  it is annoying!

1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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post #4 of 16
6/1/12 at 1:04pm

Could be a number of things. Not enough protein in their diet, need more space, cannibalism. One things for sure you need to find out whats what. Once they start this behaviour the whole flock could start feeding each other feathers & its hard to get them to stop. If your feeding alot of treats I would quit the treats for awhile. Add more protein to their diet such as meat , some eggs , even some GBS which is 28 % protein. Don't overload them with protein just up their protein some. Free ranging the birds will really help.

I'm out of eggs. But I know where some brown ones are. I now raise big Ol' Honkin' Bob Whites & Layed back Coturnix. Pray For Rain In Texas!

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I'm out of eggs. But I know where some brown ones are. I now raise big Ol' Honkin' Bob Whites & Layed back Coturnix. Pray For Rain In Texas!

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post #5 of 16
6/2/12 at 5:15am
Thread Starter 

Well, they are eating the chick grower stuff.  I don't toss much stuff out there, and when I do, the hens get it and the chicks don't really get any of it at all.  The space, they have a large pen and plenty of space to run around.  I dont' think that is it either.  do you think it is a dominance thing?  she is the dominant one of the 3 amigos hehehe.  I have different groups of chickens in this pen.  they all get along, but they definitely keep to their groups most of the time.  these 3 hang out together a lot.  they are all easter eggers.

1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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post #6 of 16
6/2/12 at 5:50am

Some of the feather eating is normal, even my free range chicks eat all but wing flight feathers as they come off.  They do not pull feathers off each other though.  I wonder why since thought is protien of feathers is hard to digest.

Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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post #7 of 16
6/2/12 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 

I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that she had really bad coccidiosis a monthish ago.  perhaps she is deficient from that in some regard? she's still doing it right now, I can hear the commotion. ugh.

1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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post #8 of 16
6/2/12 at 10:44am
Sounds like a mild curiosity turned into an obsession, can you separate that one and feed her up a little? Something to break the 'spell' anyway.
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post #9 of 16
6/2/12 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 

if I separate her, is it going to be difficult to get her back into the group?  How long should I separate her for?

1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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1 Buff Orpington, 2 Cinnamon Queens, 4 Silkie, 2 dominiques, 2 black sex links, 3 EE's, and 2 Welsummers
 

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post #10 of 16
6/2/12 at 12:49pm

Try giving culprit some mealworms.  Make bird work for them so as to get one at a time.

Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › I have a chick pecking the other chicks feathers out and eating them