Over preening or is my chicken sick?

[Roger98]

Hi, I've tried to find an answer to this problem EVERYWHERE but nobody else seems to have the problem I'm having. I have 4 white leghorns and 2 golden laced wyandottes (they're a year old next month). All of the leghorns are healthy and are doing great! But the wyandottes feathers look awful. I've searched them many times and I know for a fact they don't have mites or fleas, but their feathers are bit and preened so much that the top of their back's are just the under layer of feathers. It's hard to explain.. it looks like they over preened the top of their feathers off. And it's their whole body up to the head and not on the wings. Like I said I have no idea what it could be, it hasn't effected the leghorns at all. I'm so stumped, do they maybe have dry skin? Of that's the case what would be a treatment for that?? Please help!!

This is from a while back, Im sorry it's a terrible picture, but you can see what I mean. It's much worse now and she has feather missing all over like I mentioned above

 

[sylviethecochin]

Could the leghorns be pecking her? Some birds will eat the feathers of other birds. Here's a good article, though some of her solutions may seem a little harsh.

 

[Roger98]

Could the leghorns be pecking her? Some birds will eat the feathers of other birds. Here's a good article, though some of her solutions may seem a little harsh.

I read the article! Thank you, but I have never witnessed any of them pecking at each other? Maybe they do it at night but even so idk how I would find out who the one is pecking at her. I will try to find the medacine that was mentioned though. Maybe I can try to keep her away from the flock for a while and treat her so she has a break to grow her feathers back. But then again I think soon they might be molting? I'm just not sure what to do anymore honestly. I don't want to have to kill any of my chickens I've grown to close to them :^(

 

[sylviethecochin]

If she were moulting, the feathers would look patchy and there would probably be some bare spots. Further, most hens in a coop moult simultaneously. That does not look like moulting to me. It looks like something's eating the ends off of her feathers.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that killing should be a last resort, but I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

There are things called pinless peepers that are supposed to break the pecking habit. I understand that the results are mixed, though.

 

[Roger98]

If she were moulting, the feathers would look patchy and there would probably be some bare spots. Further, most hens in a coop moult simultaneously. That does not look like moulting to me. It looks like something's eating the ends off of her feathers.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that killing should be a last resort, but I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

There are things called pinless peepers that are supposed to break the pecking habit. I understand that the results are mixed, though.

The pinless peeper idea looks interesting, I could look into that. Like I said tho I have no idea which of my chickens is the bully.. but thank you, this has helped a lot! I would have never guessed it could be another chicken doing it to her. I assumed it was her doing it to herself this whole time

 

[Roger98]

I thought it would be a good idea to post a recent picture. These are from today.

The one on the right is less picked then the other. It doesnt affect them laying eggs, and they don't seem bothered by it but I don't like seeing them in this condition :/

 

[MadelineT]

I thought it would be a good idea to post a recent picture. These are from today. View attachment 1299934 View attachment 1299932
The one on the right is less picked then the other. It doesnt affect them laying eggs, and they don't seem bothered by it but I don't like seeing them in this condition :/

Did you ever figure this out? I have the same issue with most of my hens! I can't find information on this ANYWHERE!