Any idea why this is happening.

[CluckerFamily]

An additional roost may solve the issue.

 

[wyochick10]

It wouldn't hurt to add more protein to their diet.

 

[3KillerBs]

I was looking at adding a fixed roost a while ago, but decided not too as the coop is not a big one. I'm just eyeing up a moveble roost bar that I can put in at bed time and remove in the morning.

How big is the coop and how many chickens do you have in it?

While the usual guidelines for space -- 4 square feet in the coop, 10 square feet in the run, and 1 linear foot of roost per adult, standard-sized hen -- are not hard and fast rules, feather picking is one of those behavior problems that tend to crop up when chickens are over-crowded (one of the reasons commercial layers are debeaked).

 

[britinpa]

It wouldn't hurt to add more protein to their diet.

I do give them meal worms a couple of times a week and occassionally give them scrambled eggs. Most of my girls are on the tubby side, so maybe I just need to buy them feed with more protein in it and stop the treats. (though when they get treats I don't feel like it's over the top). They have a decent sized run, but don't get the exercise they would if they were free ranging.

 

[britinpa]

How big is the coop and how many chickens do you have in it?

While the usual guidelines for space -- 4 square feet in the coop, 10 square feet in the run, and 1 linear foot of roost per adult, standard-sized hen -- are not hard and fast rules, feather picking is one of those behavior problems that tend to crop up when chickens are over-crowded (one of the reasons commercial layers are debeaked).

Their coop is meant for about 6 chickens, so we are 2 chickens over that. They've been in there since last August and I haven't noticed this until now. When I clean the poop out in the morning I don't really find any feathers either in there. Their run is over 200 sq.ft.

 

[aart]

Their coop is meant for about 6 chickens

How big is that in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

The 4/10 'rule' is bare minimum, IMO.
Especially in a colder climate without a large(15-20sqft per bird)weather proof run.
@3KillerBs maybe add this info to your space blurb?

 

[britinpa]

How big is that in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

The 4/10 'rule' is bare minimum, IMO.
Especially in a colder climate without a large(15-20sqft per bird)weather proof run.
@3KillerBs maybe add this info to your space blurb?

Their coop is the standard commercial plan size coop for 6 chickens - 6 × 4 feet and has 6 nesting boxes. They spend the majority of their days outside, even this past winter (their first) here in cold PA. Their run is about 250 sq ft, partially covered (approx. 70 sq.ft. of it) - so I guess the covered area might be slightly on the small side. The weather has been great now spring has arrived, some rain, so they've been able to spread themselves out​

 

[3KillerBs]

Their coop is the standard commercial plan size coop for 6 chickens - 6 × 4 feet and has 6 nesting boxes.​

6x4 should be enough for six chickens -- that's unusual that it claimed those numbers becuase normally it's much different.

The numbers that the makers of prefab coops claim are wildly exaggerated -- based on the numbers for commercial chicken raising, which relies on intensive management and techniques such as debeaking.

 

[britinpa]

6x4 should be enough for six chickens -- that's unusual that it claimed those numbers becuase normally it's much different.

The numbers that the makers of prefab coops claim are wildly exaggerated -- based on the numbers for commercial chicken raising, which relies on intensive management and techniques such as debeaking.

I know some online sellers quote much higher numbers of chickens for this size coop. We just bought off of a local maker/seller of coops and that was a ballpark figure given. We bought 8 only because TSC were selling chicks per 4 (Our plan was to get 6 originally)

 

[21hens-incharge]

Do the nests stick out the side or are they fully inside the coop?

If fully inside that reduces the usable floor space.

Longer daylight has birds being more active. I have seen behavior change with onset of spring laying and longer days.