Chicken bleeding - feather picking

[chutewoman]

Earlier this winter I lost two hens from this, I used pine tar like this site suggested. I have not lost another hen since then. I applied it to the bare spots at first site of blood, kept it on for about a week. I just went out this morning and applied a couple of glops on the new feather spots. Someone had pecked again, but it has been a long while since I had applied any. When I opened the can the hens shook their heads at the smell. )

 

[litredhen]

hello,
I have a similar story. Initially 2 hens with missing feathers on the back. Now more seem to be heading in that direction. Thanks for all the recommendations on these posts! I will try more protein. But also our chickens have lots of outdoor space and hope this keeps them busy. I think the peeking is happening before they go out in the morning?

Has anyone seen a link between switching from pellets to scratch and picking and pecking?? We switched out feed and not sure if this is part of the problem?

I would like to feed my hens something less processed then pellets but maybe it is to hard to make sure their diet is balanced!?
thanks sarah:/

 

[Judy]

They usually love cooked egg and it is an excellent protein source. You can even scramble them, shells and all, for the calcium.

 

[CritterMama]

I am a new chicken mama, and an even newer member of BYC (although I have been using this site as a resource for a while now!). Apologies for the lengthy intro:

I have 6 girls that I got at TSC early this summer. Two of them are white (likely leghorns) and four are brown (likely New Hampshire Reds). The brown ones give me little to no trouble, but as of a few weeks ago, I noticed some feather picking issues. After some research, I thought perhaps it was boredom and stress, since the weather was turning colder quickly, and they also had not been let out to free-range in a couple days. We started letting them out more, which seemed to help, but then one of my girls was attacked (but thankfully unharmed) by a hawk. Needless to say, their free-range time has been more limited since then, with a human escort. They have a good-sized coop, and an 8x8 attached pen so they can go in and out as they please. I hang lettuce and other veggies for them, occasionally make homemade 'flock blocks' for them, and am desperately trying to keep them from getting bored.

Last week I noticed that at least five of my six girls were missing noticeable patches of butt feathers. I went out (upon recommendations from BYC posts) and got some Blu-Kote, so now I've got the "blue-butt brigade." When I let them out today, I noticed one of my white ones had a very bloody behind. She laid a clean egg this morning, so I knew nothing was stuck in the vent. Upon closer inspection, it appears it is from heavy pecking and feather picking.

I checked all the others and they are healing fine. It's just my one little girl; and she's gotten more skittish, too. I am assuming she is at the bottom of the pecking order, and I'm am darn near sure it's the other white one who is at the top and causing problems. I don't believe she is missing feathers, BUT she has been bloodied a couple times from pecks to her comb. Perhaps in retaliation? I took a washcloth and warm water, cleaned her off as well as she would let me, and put Neosporin and some Blu-Kote on her. She then proceeded to dust-bathe, which gave her a beautiful muddy goopy tush.

So...with all of this background, I seek advice. I should probably isolate one of them, but should that be the one receiving the damage, or the one doing the damage? I also plan to build them a larger, lightweight run that can be moved around the yard to give a little diversity. Would that make any difference? I love my girls and want to keep them happy and healthy... Please help!

 

[vtsarahb]

my hens (9 months old) have started picking at each others' tail feathers now that the weather is cold, and they don't want to go out in the snow. I have put blu-kote on the two injured ones, and it seems to be working. Is it true that increasing their protein will stop the picking? Has it worked for any of you? Or are they just bored?

 

[keaniebeanie]

I am having the same issue VTSarahb. Mine have not been going out into their run now that we have gotten snow. I went in there this afternoon and shoveled a bit and threw them out the window into the run!!!

Then I closed the window and made them stay out for about an hour. While they were out I let the hen that has been in a crate (torn comb) have free range in the coop. I have now discovered that one of the others is missing neck feathers and has a wound (I believe she is the bottom of the pecking order, in fact I think that both the injured are the bottom 2). When it finally got dark out I went out and put the original crate girl on the roost and the new wounded into the crate! We will see what develops in the morning. I plan to toss them out in the morning before I leave for work, I won't lock them out but they better find something to do besides pick each other!!

 

[purpledonna]

I had a similar problem which I have solved

by adding more protein to their diet. Worth a try! Good luck.

 

[gingerpeach22]

I'm reading all your problems and answers on this thread. Everyone takes a swipe at one of my girls and her back is mostly the under fuzz, but the longer patterned feathers on top of the fuzz are missing. I put on a smelly goop, rooster booster pick no more. It has pine tar in it, stains your fingers, and tastes bad. But it either rubbed off or dried and came off somehow by this morning. I'm wondering if the blue spray would work for this. Her back is not bare and the fuzz is black. What do you think?
When this hen bends over to eat, there is a bare patch of light colored skin above her vent. Any bird which notices takes a peck, so I will upend her and put on the dark liquid (it's thick) to see if it will no longer be a visible patch of skin.
I boiled up some moose meat and will mince it for the birds today. I also gave them half a raw acorn squash, seeds and all and that kept them very busy pecking for about 45 minutes. I also scramble eggs for them a few times a week, shop for vegetables, & visit them a number of times per day.

 

[Jasmine130]

I'm so glad to come across this thread. I've had my pullets almost 3 weeks now and today I noticed that Celeste, my Faverolle, has been pecking at the tailfeathers of Rosie, my EE. Rosie reaches back there and picks, and it's a little bloody. Then, Celeste takes a turn. Rosie will give her the word, but between the 2 of them I can see the spot getting worse.

I will scramble up some eggs with shells and feed it to them for protein. Do you think it's okay to add cheese for some more protein? I've seen some folks have been adding yogurt, but I don't have any on hand.

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate all the friendly help around here, especially for a newbie such as I.

Jasmine

 

[greeneyedlady]

I too am having this problem with my 3 week olds... they have begun picking at the tail feathers of one of my buff orp's. I separated her from the rest and treated her wound. Should I be giving them more protein to curb this sudden behavior? They have been given grass clumps and vegetable pulp left over from a juicer as daily treats... any advice is appreciated...