stil missing feathers

[deeschicks19]

Back in May I posted pics of my girls behinds and back where they were missing all of their feathers. Well they are still missing them. And I really don't know what else to do. I have no where to keep them separated from the ones that aren't missing any. Which is less than half of them. I have 49 total and more than half missing them. They act ok. Not sick. I have a few that are now starting to molt too. I put vinegar in their water every day and oil of oregano too. They get probiotics couple times a week. I am just so clueless and I feel helpless too. They don't have any mites. I live outside of New Orleans and we have had a very unusual even hotter than normal summer and the rain. Oh my that has been really bad. They have a fan and air conditioning in their coop. I clean it once a week.

Any any ideas please help me.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Generally feathers that have been plucked are lost during the year won't come back in until they molt.

Offer extra protein for the ones molting or all of them, either give a commercial all flock/flock raiser or feather fixer formula, or give egg, tuna, mackerel or meat.

 

[chickcrack]

X2
I have two twisted sisters that roost together that have looked horrible all year. One picked the others bum feathers out and then to retaliate miss naked bum picked the others neck feathers out. They have since stopped the feather picking but have looked a mess since about February! They are about to start their first adult molt anytime and I can't wait because they make me look like a horrible chicken mom! Time will fix it.

 

[deeschicks19]

I know the feeling. I feel like I am a horrible mom too. I ordered last night some lotion called Pick No More so gonna try it and I am trying to find someone that carries the food Feather Fixer around here. In the mean time I will give them foods with more protein in them starting today.
Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I know the feeling. I feel like I am a horrible mom too. I ordered last night some lotion called Pick No More so gonna try it and I am trying to find someone that carries the food Feather Fixer around here. In the mean time I will give them foods with more protein in them starting today.
Thanks

Are you still having a feather picking problem?

If so, you may need to investigate the cause. Check for lice/mites, make sure there is enough roosting space and daytime space to prevent aggressiveness toward one another, overcrowded chickens have tendency to pick at each other. If space is part of the problem, then try to add more run/coop space, if that isn't possible, keep them busy. Add perches inside the run for them to get on (and away from each other), hang fruits/veggies in a couple of different places, have dirt bathing areas, etc.

I hang kale, apple, cabbage,etc, from a rope in the middle of the run, I also put veggies/greens in a suet basket in a different location. This "splits" the group up, so everybody is busy.

A pile of weeds, leaves/grass, pine needles, dumped in the run, keeps them scratching and busy as well. Most of my run is covered (has a roof), so the dirt is relatively dry year round, they scratch it to the back of the run, so at least once a week, I rake the dirt to the front into large piles in various places (I try to get up all the poop I see first), they have a great time digging/scratching in these dirt piles and of course take dust baths and hang out.

For the uncovered portion (no roof) I turn the dirt, it's moist sometimes, so they have a fit to get in there and scratch for worms/bugs. ( I lock them out of this side while I do this, I have at least 2 hens that want to ride on the pitch fork while I turn the dirt, it's hard enough on me to do this by myself, much less having two flapping 6 lb hens on the handle

 

[chickcrack]

Are you still having a feather picking problem?

If so, you may need to investigate the cause. Check for lice/mites, make sure there is enough roosting space and daytime space to prevent aggressiveness toward one another, overcrowded chickens have tendency to pick at each other. If space is part of the problem, then try to add more run/coop space, if that isn't possible, keep them busy. Add perches inside the run for them to get on (and away from each other), hang fruits/veggies in a couple of different places, have dirt bathing areas, etc.

I hang kale, apple, cabbage,etc, from a rope in the middle of the run,  I also put veggies/greens in a suet basket in a different location. This "splits" the group up, so everybody is busy.

A pile of weeds, leaves/grass, pine needles, dumped in the run, keeps them scratching and busy as well.  Most of my run is covered (has a roof), so the dirt is relatively dry year round, they scratch it to the  back of the run, so at least once a week, I rake the dirt to the front into large piles in various places (I try to get up all the poop I see first), they have a great time digging/scratching in these dirt piles and of course take dust baths and hang out. 

For the uncovered portion (no roof) I turn the dirt, it's moist sometimes, so they have a fit to get in there and scratch for worms/bugs. ( I lock them out of this side while I do this, I have at least 2 hens that want to ride on the pitch fork while I turn the dirt, it's hard enough on me to do this by myself, much less having two flapping 6 lb hens on the handle

Lol I can envision the pitch fork ride! Mine also think any shovel or rake is intended specifically for their enjoyment! In my girls case their picking was total pecking order stuff and only happened on their 5' long perch (that only those two use). I find once they hit 6 months old or so they settle down so much.

 

[deeschicks19]

Yes still have the problem. Have found no lice or mites on them at all. I found the Feather Fixer food today so going to get that and start feeding them that. Good idea about hanging food. They have more than enough room on their roosts but I do notice they seem to all want to sit in a certain spot. Their yard is covered with netting to protect from hawks. I used to sit outside with them every afternoon and let them graze in the yard where there is grass but this summer has been more than normal hot and wet so I haven't been. Yesterday was first time in ages. But cooling down in afternoons now so can start again. I have constantly given them kale etc every day. But never hung it.
They have lots of dirt bathing spots in their yard. And they have a jungle gym (as I call out) that my husband built outside in their run. they love to sit up on that. Their yard is huge. Plenty plenty of room for them. And in their house there is air conditioning and a fan to make sure it keeps cool.

So I think I am doing pretty much everything right. I clean out their house once a week.
I am hoping this food will help and I ordered some Pick No More lotion last night to put on them. So I will see.

To hang the food are you just tieing it up?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes still have the problem. Have found no lice or mites on them at all. I found the Feather Fixer food today so going to get that and start feeding them that. Good idea about hanging food. They have more than enough room on their roosts but I do notice they seem to all want to sit in a certain spot. Their yard is covered with netting to protect from hawks. I used to sit outside with them every afternoon and let them graze in the yard where there is grass but this summer has been more than normal hot and wet so I haven't been. Yesterday was first time in ages. But cooling down in afternoons now so can start again. I have constantly given them kale etc every day. But never hung it.
They have lots of dirt bathing spots in their yard. And they have a jungle gym (as I call out) that my husband built outside in their run. they love to sit up on that. Their yard is huge. Plenty plenty of room for them. And in their house there is air conditioning and a fan to make sure it keeps cool.

So I think I am doing pretty much everything right. I clean out their house once a week.
I am hoping this food will help and I ordered some Pick No More lotion last night to put on them. So I will see.

To hang the food are you just tieing it up?

Sounds good.

The kale I tie it in a bunch with a rope that is suspended from the ceiling. My DH put it on a pulley so I can raise lower depending on what I hang. The apples are fairly "small" so I have a long bolt
with a washer and nut that I run through the apple. These are mine. I initially cut out a few small pieces of the apple so they could get to the "meat" of it, and pecked it with my finger to show them what it was. They have had hanging "foods" since they were just a few weeks old, so they look forward to it. I look out and sometimes it looks like they are playing tether ball