Hen pulling rooster’s feathers and eating!!!

[laurenjoers]

Hi all! Background: 3 chickens: one partridge Cochin hen (top of pecking order), a dark Brahma hen (probably bottom of order) and a handicapped dark Brahma rooster. They are going through their first molt (about a year and two months old, southeaster Wisconsin) with the rooster looking the worst. He was born with a bad leg so it’s harder for him to get around, and he’s been extra sleepy with the molt and the quick changing of the weather when all of his feather’s aren’t in yet. He had some noticeably bald patches on the sides of his neck and today I saw our Cochin pick off one of the old feathers by the bald spot and eat it while he did nothing. I think I’ve narrowed it down to protein deficiency - don’t think they are bored or cramped because they have plenty of room and she’s not pecking at the new feathers coming in or making him bleed; don’t think it’s a pecking order thing either because she’s eating the feathers. We have 16% protein crumbles and they get a bit of outside time to dig for worms (Cochin is the best at finding them - does this mean she needs the extra protein?). I’m going to start feeding her scrambled eggs and giving them meal worms instead of scratch when we have to get them in the coop. Anything I should be doing instead or any other insight/experience? I attached a picture of rooster’s bald spots

summary: Hen eating rooster’s feathers, thinking it’s protein issue but not sure

 

[MarkJr]

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