Aggressive Flock

[BayouChickens19]

Hi! I have 9 hens living with 100sq feet of run space. I noticed some of the chickens started to have misssing feathers below their vents and i found out that they are pecking the feathers out. It’s gotten much worse and it’s more than one hen doing it to them and now they have back feathers missing. What could I do to stop them from doing this? Ive already tried the no pick lotion

 

[sourland]

Do an on site search on Pin Less Peepers - they work and actually sometimes serve to break the habit. Are you feeding a commercial ration with adequate protein ? Increasing protein may help, but this is a difficult habit to break.

 

[aart]

Nice sized run...but how big is the coop?
What all and how exactly are you feeding?
How old are your birds?

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[50-45-1]

Feather picking will start from boredom, overcrowding, or nutritional deficiencies. See about repairing those areas.
Once the habit starts it is some times difficult to stop, even after the above are fixed.
I adopted 6 three year old spent hens of which one was a feather picker. It took me about two days of observation to pick her out.
i purchased 24 pinless peepers and the tool to put them on for about 13 dollars from amazon.
They do not harm the chicken, do not intifear with eating or drinking.
They can be removed and reaplied when needed. My bad girl wore her pair of blinders for about a month and i have not needed to reaply them.
Good luck!
By the way, she was the one with no picked feathers.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My first Flock, 5 Golden Comets started to feather pick when I switched to a 16% layers feed, around 13 months of age.
After 3 bags I switched back to a 18% feed. I also bought the pinless peepers.
After the new feed and wearing the peepers for 3 weeks. .Problem solved. I had to put feed in a small pail for them. .They couldn't eat from my hanging Galvanized feeder.
I have a second Flock of Barred Rocks 6 months old. .
I feed both Flocks a Non-medicated Starter Grower 18% or All-Flock/Flock Raiser crumble 20%. Whichever is fresher or available when I'm at TSC. I bought the Starter Grower last week. I offer Oyster Shells and Poultry Grit each in separate containers.
My Pullets and Hens love both feeds.
Hope this helps. GC

 

[rosemarythyme]

What's your run set up like? Is it just a big empty square, or is there stuff in there for them to interact with, dig in, walk behind, jump up on?

It's not a direct fix for the issue but if you give the picked on birds some hiding spots it'll help them get away from the ones picking on them, plus it might help keep the birds occupied so they're not picking out of boredom.

 

[BayouChickens19]

Do an on site search on Pin Less Peepers - they work and actually sometimes serve to break the habit. Are you feeding a commercial ration with adequate protein ? Increasing protein may help, but this is a difficult habit to break.

Yes. I’m feeding them the Purina Layena 16% layer pellets and I’m giving them dry meal worms in the mornings as a snack to keep them entertained

 

[BayouChickens19]

Feather picking will start from boredom, overcrowding, or nutritional deficiencies. See about repairing those areas.
Once the habit starts it is some times difficult to stop, even after the above are fixed.
I adopted 6 three year old spent hens of which one was a feather picker. It took me about two days of observation to pick her out.
i purchased 24 pinless peepers and the tool to put them on for about 13 dollars from amazon.
They do not harm the chicken, do not intifear with eating or drinking.
They can be removed and reaplied when needed. My bad girl wore her pair of blinders for about a month and i have not needed to reaply them.
Good luck!
By the way, she was the one with no picked feathers.
View attachment 1682885

Thanks! I’m going to give the painless peepers a try

 

[BayouChickens19]

What's your run set up like? Is it just a big empty square, or is there stuff in there for them to interact with, dig in, walk behind, jump up on?

It's not a direct fix for the issue but if you give the picked on birds some hiding spots it'll help them get away from the ones picking on them, plus it might help keep the birds occupied so they're not picking out of boredom.

I’ve got some bars for them to climb on in the run a baby pool filled with peat moss diatomaceous earth for a dust bath. Do you have any suggestions for more stuff to entertain them?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’ve got some bars for them to climb on in the run a baby pool filled with peat moss diatomaceous earth for a dust bath. Do you have any suggestions for more stuff to entertain them?

Try adding some obstaclew to form hiding spots. Not too much, as you don't want to clutter up the space, but a couple things like a pallet leaning against a fence, old patio furniture like chairs or small table, a small wood ladder, can help to break up space, provide hiding spots, and give them stuff to interact with.

Keep in mind with obstacles that they should be placed so there's no dead end corners, so one bird can't corner another to attack them. This is a diagram of my run with "stuff" - any items against the fence have an extra exit cut out so birds don't get cornered.