Bored Chickens pecking each other!

[xXChickenTenderXx]

 

[MysteryChicken]

View attachment 2949302

Looks like possible picking.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The coop is about 80 sq. feet. I do not think the amount of space is the problem. We have 11 chickens. Any ways of keeping them entertained without treats?

Roosts/platforms they can get on top of, or anything they can walk around, through, up and down on. You can repurpose old patio furniture or cobble something together with scrap wood. An indoor dust bath, if one isn't available. Cut the strings on a bale of straw or hay, or dump a bag of dried leaves in a pile.

 

[xXChickenTenderXx]

That is what I thought. Do I need to worry about this? Will the feathers grow back?

 

[MysteryChicken]

That is what I thought. Do I need to worry about this? Will the feathers grow back?

Yes, they will. Plucked feathers will grow back sooner without needing to molt. Broken feathers will regrow with the molt.

 

[Weeg]

How many birds do you have in that sized area? Is the 80sft just the coop, or coop and run? If its separate, what is the size of your run?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Looks like possible picking.

Agreed but a slightly unusual spot for it. I wonder if it started due to overzealous grooming... a bird that's a sloppy eater can get feed on their throat feathers, and others will groom the feed off of them, and then start yanking out feathers along with the feed and eating them.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Yes, they will. Plucked feathers will grow back sooner without needing to molt. Broken feathers will regrow with the molt.

Yes, usually. I had this once, and her feathers never grew back.

But don’t worry, there is a nearly 100% chance they will grow back!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Agreed but a slightly unusual spot for it. I wonder if it started due to overzealous grooming... a bird that's a sloppy eater can get feed on their throat feathers, and others will groom the feed off of them, and then start yanking out feathers along with the feed and eating them.

Yes, a weird place indeed.

That could be a possibility.

 

[xXChickenTenderXx]

How many birds do you have in that sized area? Is the 80sft just the coop, or coop and run? If its separate, what is the size of your run?

We have 11 chicken. The run is 80 sq. feet. and the coop is around 36 sq. feet.