almost their birthday!

[Tamar]

hello all - I am 'newbie' here - and with chickens - my girls will be celebrating their first birthday next week! They have been a joy and educational over this last year - and I am still learning...need help with one problem though - the feather plucking. Otherwise they are very healthy and kept their egg production going even through zero degree temps. and 2 blizzards! but I have not yet found a way to get them to stop picking at each other! help would be GREAT! They are 2 Buff Orpingtons (Big Bertha and Buffy the Vampire Layer) 2 Ameraucanas (LadyHawke and Brownie), 2 Black Orpingtons (Onyx and Obsidian) and one barred Rock (Drama Queen) Thus far I havee hung treat blocks (pecker wrecker) also cabbage 'tether' balls (which they love!) sprayed the bare spots with Hot Pick, increased their protein...any other ideas? I even added an extra roost bar....would love to get other suggestions!
Tamar

 

[Keltara]

Do your chickens get to free range or are the confined. Typically speaking, chickens will peck at each other if their quarters are too small for the amount of birds you have. The rule of thumb is 4 sq. ft. per bird for the "coop", and 10 sq. ft. per bird for the "run". Does your set up fit those ratios?

Kelly

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Our Country Chronicles

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[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome top BYC from northern Michigan

I would ask the same questions

 

[Tamar]

the indoor coop is about 9 x 13. the outdoor run is about 14 x 14.

 

[redsoxs]

Howdy from Kansas, Tamar, and

! Happy you joined our flock! Good luck to you and your flock - you might post in the link below for more ideas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

 

[drumstick diva]

Are they eating the feathers, or just plucking them out? Have you checked them for lice or mites. Do all of them pluck, or just a couple of meanies?? You could try to separate the offenders and see how the others get along.

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us.