Feathers on head being plucked- polish

Jul 28, 2018
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And so it has begun. I have 30 bantams. 20 polish, 5 silkies, and 5 cochin, all 4 1/2 weeks old. A few of the polish are showing the beginnings of plucking. The one in pic being the worst. It is also the smallest of the polish. I separated it right away. I think it is a silkie doing it. There is one I caught really yanking on a polish's head feathers, but I'm not sure if that is the only culprit. I thought silkies were low in pecking order, but I guess not? Who would be lowest in pecking order with silkies, polish, and cochins? I ordered blue kote stuff, should be here in a few days. I'm sure there are other threads on this, so sorry if this is a repeat. I am in the midst of making enclosures for them. Should I make 2 separate enclosures and keep polish separate and keep the silkies and cochin together? Any thoughts? Thanks.
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I kept mine all together for several years, and whenever it started happening, I just used BluKote spray once ever 2 days on the polish heads. There is a new product, a blue nontoxic ointment called Hen Healer that is sold at TSC and online that you may want to try:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/manna-pro-mp-hen-healer-ointment-2-oz-1000216

I feel like they need to remain together in the flock. I only had to deal with the head pecking once or twice a year, and it would be a different polish each time. Usually, if it is caught soon enough, it can be stopped before all of the feathers are pecked out. Once it gets red, they will all peck.
 

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