11 month hen loosing neck feathers due to pecking... Help!

[Peace Love Hens]

I have a Ameracauna/Aracauna who is at the lowest in the pecking order. Under just three weeks, she has lost a half-quarter sized patch of feathers because the others are constantly chasing her and pulling out her feathers. Any advice would be appreciated. I had a hard time getting pictures, but I'll try to get more when I have the opportunity.

Thanks! Could you identify if she is an Aracauna or an Ameracauna? I don't exactly know...
What can I do for her to stop the size from getting bigger?

Until next time,
Peace, Love, Hens

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Are you sure that isn't from something else? That is a weird place for chicken to peck on.

 

[Peace Love Hens]

Yes, I've seen the others chase her and pull out feathers from that exact spot.

 

[Folly's place]

If you have one or two pullets who are the worst offenders, isolate them away from their flockmates for a week or three, and see if things improve when they return. Are they al EEs, or do you have a mix of breed types? Lots of space, or crowded? Pecking at night on their roost? Good diet? Let us know. Mary

 

[Peace Love Hens]

If you have one or two pullets who are the worst offenders, isolate them away from their flockmates for a week or three, and see if things improve when they return. Are they al EEs, or do you have a mix of breed types? Lots of space, or crowded? Pecking at night on their roost? Good diet? Let us know. Mary

No, I have a very mixed flock. I have 5 who are my original 'group' who are 2 yrs and 3 who are my newbies. Alexandra, the suffering one, is in my newbie group. They have adequate space, they free range. Lots of pecking at night and they have a very balanced diet; veggies, layer feed, fruits etc. Thanks for the help

 

[Peace Love Hens]

I have more pictures. Please help me! She is getting little to no food, so I stand out there and make sure she eats when I let them out now. She is loosing lots of feathers on her wings and the fluff around her eyes.

 

[Pork Pie]

The topic of feather pecking/eating is one that comes up fairly often, so this week I would like to hear you all's thoughts on this dilemma and what step(s) you've taken to help stop/prevent it. Specifically:

- What causes the flock to start pecking/eating each others' feathers?
- What level of pecking is normal is what is not? (For new chicken keepers)
- How can you prevent/stop feather pecking/eating?

As a pre-cursor to the content below, I do not have any experience in dealing with feather pecking, feather eating or cannibalism. I live on the equator, so we have no winters or changes in daylight hours. As consequence, my flock ranges in the garden from dawn till dusk every day, thus having no break in routine. I am however, interested in chicken behaviour and I've done a little reading on the subject. It is only intended as background information. I have included the sources consulted as links.

- What causes the flock to start pecking/eating each others' feathers?
Temperature changes
Overcrowding
Temperament (individual / breed)
Sudden changes in feed composition
Temporary unavailability of water / food (e.g. frozen drinking water)
Unevenness of the flock in terms of size (weight) / colour
Parasite infestation (either of coop or birds)
Sub-optimal nutritional balance (e.g. mineral, salt or amino acid levels deficiency)
Use of vegetable protein in feeds
Inadequate foraging incentives - e.g. the use of pellets / coarsely ground feed reduces time spent foraging
Significant variations from a flock’s routine - limited ranging opportunities due to weather

Triggers to feather pecking are most likely to be the result of a combination of potential stressors.

- What level of pecking is normal is what is not? (For new chicken keepers)
Gentle pecking – part of the establishment and maintenance of pecking order and an essential part of social behaviour. Usually concentrated on the head / face area. Often observed as part of preening behaviour

Aggressive pecking – abnormal and persistent pecking and removal of feathers on the head (commonly seen in younger birds) or most commonly seen on the base of the tail, preen gland area, tail feathers, back or vent / below the vent pecking in adults

- How can you prevent/stop feather pecking/eating?

Ensuring sufficient coop and run space
Having sufficient feeding / drinking stations
Maximising the time the flock spends foraging
Provisions for dust bathing or use a friable litter than will facilitate it
Feeding high fibre, low energy diets (read the ingredients and proportions on the feed you buy)
Installing objects in the run / coop to "entertain" the flock (distractions)
Providing an object(s) that can be pecked at - e.g. a bale of straw
Add perches to the housing

Links

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69374/pb10596-feather-pecking-050309.pdf

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1201/dietary-changes-can-reduce-feather-pecking-in-laying-hens/

http://articles.extension.org/pages/66088/feather-pecking-and-cannibalism-in-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Feather-Pecking-the-answers.html

http://www.nutrecocanada.com/docs/shur-gain---poultry/are-your-birds-hen-pecked.pdf

https://www.chooks.co.nz/feather-pecking-in-poultry-and-how-to-avoid-it

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/My-flock-is-pecking-one-another-What-should-I-do-H89.aspx

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/behaviourproblems/kcannibal.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/509825/how-to-get-chickens-to-stop-pecking-another-chicken

http://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chickens-101/how-to-stop-chickens-from-pecking-each-other-in-3-easy-steps-pp/

https://pet.tips.net/T003999_Stop_Chickens_from_Pecking_Each_Other.html

 

[aart]

Could you identify if she is an Aracauna or an Ameracauna?

Most likely she is an Easter Egger, often marketed as Aracauna or Ameracauna by the hatcheries, any store that sells hatchery birds, and anyone who bought those birds and sells them or their offspring.

Lots of pecking at night and they have a very balanced diet; veggies, layer feed, fruits etc.

How big is your coop, in feet by feet? Pics would help. Free range is great but the coop is the bottleneck as they have to spend the night and even some days in there.

Fruit and veg can dilute the minimal nutrition in the layer feed, depending on percentage of feed protein and amounts involved.

How long have you had the newbies?
How did you integrate them?



Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Yes, I've seen the others chase her and pull out feathers from that exact spot.

What you are seeing is feather eating. Increasing the % of animal protein in your hens' ration should "fix" this problem.

 

[Peace Love Hens]

Thank you so much for all your input. I will be in NH on vacation for two weeks, leaving today, so I will not be able to post pictures soon. I will get to the questions ASAP.