Can't seem to manage my little flock

[meadrian]

I have three girls who've been raised together since they were 13 weeks. They have an established pecking order. They have about 100 sq ft with roosts and a pecking block.

The lowest in the pecking order gets her feathers pecked occassionaly. She sits there and lets them do it. Over time she's lost alot of contour feathers, but no skin breaks or blood. Feather loss mainly. Lots of them. But again, this happened over time.

I've separated her during the day. They can see each other and sometimes sit near each other with the fence in between. When I get home I put them together and watch with squirt bottle in hand. This has gone on four 4+ weeks.

I'm wondering if there will EVER be a time they don't pick on her. It seems like she's just slowly pecked at all the time. HELP!!!!! I need them to be able to live together at some point. Any suggestions, please!

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

Maybe the chickens are lacking enough protien in their diet, this can cause feather picking. I use game bird feed and scrambled eggs to increase protien for my bantams.

 

[karl E lutz]

Only if she is dead once it starts it never ends

 

[meadrian]

They get meal worms and eggs, too. In fact I worried I was giving too much protein at one point.

So, what you're saying is this will never stop? At least until she's dead or removed permanently?

 

[Keri78]

can you free range them and just lock them up at night? Sometimes being out
& about gives them better things to do than pick at each other. If not maybe a chickie apron will help?

 

[karl E lutz]

It may stop but if they get a bloody spot separate her or they may peck her to death.

 

[triggfamily5]

I have that happen occasionally. I spray wound-kote or blu-kote ALL over their back and where it's bare, and let it dry before I put her back. It's a continuing process. I still have 2 that I am working on, but it has helped many of the others.

Is she a different breed or coloring than the others?

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

They aren't trying to pick her to death by the sounds of it, it's not aggressive behavior, right? They want to be with eachother. They are eating the feathers because they lack something in their diet-- protien is most likely. You may also end up with egg-eating problems too if this is the case. What do you feed them?

 

[meadrian]

I got the chicken apron right away and she's been wearing it all this time. They get about 100 sq ft that's fenced to run around in during the day. That's as much "safe" free range I can give them during the day. This happened while they were in that space and over a long period of time. A peck here, a peck there, months go by and I have a chicken who's feathers are pulled.

 

[Penturner]

Keep in mind that a lack of protein could be caused by the inability to metabolize the proteins they are eating. pay attention to all those other vitamins and minerals as well. Purine Nutri Blend is supposed to be a completely balanced food. Something like that might put an end to it if it is nutritionally caused.