bird pecking itself

[yallapilko]

Hi,
One of my girls was pecking all the others, so I separated her, only to find that she pecked herself until she bled, on her rump and wing.
Any ideas what the cause could be?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

My guess would be a protein deficiency or boredom. Perhaps start by increasing her protein and seeing if there is a change. You could also give her some sort of flock block or treat ball that requires effort for her to get snacks to fight boredom. Overcrowding can also cause pecking and the behavior can be habit forming.

 

[Ghostbelly]

check for bugs just in case

 

[ChickensRDinos]

check for bugs just in case

doh. I should have thought of that first. Good suggestion.

 

[Ghostbelly]

happy to help!

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks for your replies!
The protein level on the food should be correct technically, so, I'm guessing at boredom, (I separated her out for a couple of days as she was viciously pecking the entire flock, and now herself!). Were you thinking something like hanging up a fat ball for her to jump up at? I'm not how to make treats difficult for quail! It's not something I'd thought of.
I also checked through her feathers and mites don't seem a problem, but I treated her again just in case.
Also, I thought maybe she could be defiiceitn in feather making materials, so I've added some sesame seeds as an extra.
Anyway, if someone can maybe give me tips on how to make a quails life more interesting, please let me know!