Broken Bloody Tail Feathers

[Sp0iledFl0ck]

My 8 week old EE is a spunky, spastic girl (?), and often has a mad minute run around the coop. Kind keeps to herself, and I don't see anyone else in the flock picking on her at all. For about a week and a half, she's had ragged, broken tail feathers, broken off about an inch out from the skin, a little blood. It was dry by the end of last week, seems fresh this morning again. I'm tempted to pull them out. Suggestions? She seems very healthy and alert, other than that.

Angela B.

 

[thebanthams]

If you dont think other hens are pecking on her, its likely that some predator grabbed her tail through the fence. keep the tail area clean, or the hens will keep pecking on her because some like to taste blood.

 

[Sp0iledFl0ck]

Well, a couple of the girls WERE picking on her...finally caught them. One bottle of stinky, purple, anti-pecking lotion and a week later, and she seems to be growing new feathers in on her tail now. She can't stand the smell of her own tail, so I guess that was the issue. Sigh...I'm so new at this. Ended up rescuing a black sex link hen last weekend that was really pecked bald on her butt, so she got separated right away. Will let her heal up and grow in feathers there before I intro her to the rest of the flock.

 

[thebanthams]

Im glad that you found the culprit!. Hope all the feathers comes back pretty !

 

[Sp0iledFl0ck]

She's good as new, healed up and just started giving me eggs!

 

[thebanthams]

She's good as new, healed up and just started giving me eggs!

Looking good! Glad you got some eggs!