Chicken bullying

[kdelorme2005]

We have 8 hens and 1 rooster, last night as I was locking up the coop I noticed one of my red hens was missing some feathers. This is our first time raising chickens. I'm not sure if it's the other hens or the rooster pecking her. Or if it's the winter and they are molting feathers. Just wondering if anyone has any insight. Thanks!

 

[foreverlearning]

She looks a little raggy like she is starting a molt. First check for lice/mites in the vent area (always rule this out first, it saves time and sometimes lives), then check the ground outside for excess amounts of feathers laying around (usually sign of molt). Then you want to watch them as they go in to roost, if you have a bully you would see it there. If no one is plucking anyone else (plucking or bulling not normal pecking order things) then increase protein levels to get them threw it faster. If you catch someone bulling you have a couple of options from seperating the bully to putting pinless peepers on the bully.

 

[kdelorme2005]

Thank you! I have notice more and more feathers around. I will also check for lice and mites. If I do have them how should I go about treating for them?

 

[foreverlearning]

Dust them and the coop with poultry dust (farm supply store) or sevin 5% (garden dept in walmart). You would also want to clean out the coop. My coop is set up so that if I ever need to I can just hose it out so I get the liquid sevin to clean the coop. Make sure you don't dust their noses. There are three main ways people dust the chickens.
1) Shake n bake - Put dust and chicken in bag holding the head out and shake.
2) Puffer - Put dust in something like a sock and puff the chicken at vent and under the wings.
3) No fuss - I lay my flock on their back (slowly), get the bottle as close as possible to vent and under the wings, add dust (liberal amount), and let them go. As soon as they stand up they shake and work it in all over. I do loose more dust this way, I just find it easier.

It mostly sounds like it is a molt over there. Just wait until the coop looks like a down blanket blew up in it.

 

[kdelorme2005]

thanks again for the advice! We live in northern vermont so the mites and lice should be doormat by now.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Plucking or feather eating is usually confined to the neck and saddle area.
She looks like she is starting to molt and your rooster may be a little over attentive but not much.
The only way mites and lice will be dormant anywhere this time of year is if your hens body temperature is the same as the air temps, in which case your hens will be permanently dormant.