Chicken plucking feathers out of other chickens??

[Lady Clucksley]

One of my 20-week-old Marans/EE girls has started sneaking up to the other Marans/EE girls and plucking feathers from their backs. I read that this can be boredom- or stress-related. She started this yesterday, the same day we got our flock's first egg. All 4 of my M/EE girls are ready to lay any time, as is one of my Red Sexlink girls, so there's a lot of changes going on in my coop.

I've put her in to a small wire kennel inside the coop to keep the other girls safe; is there anything else I can do to help her stop?

I'm having the same kind of issues; my Buff Brahma is getting plucked so badly! I'm worried about her. No blood, just lots of naked skin and a fine layer of feathers covering my run. She was at the bottom in her last flock and got her head plucked clean by a bully. So, when she moved in with me she came with three girls who are very sweet, but within a week, sure enough, one of this flock has just started plucking her silly. She still has a great appetite, lots of energy, good personality, but she's going to be naked! So, anything you've found that helps, please let me know. And if I figure out anything, I'll let you know. Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm having the same kind of issues; my Buff Brahma is getting plucked so badly! I'm worried about her. No blood, just lots of naked skin and a fine layer of feathers covering my run. She was at the bottom in her last flock and got her head plucked clean by a bully. So, when she moved in with me she came with three girls who are very sweet, but within a week, sure enough, one of this flock has just started plucking her silly. She still has a great appetite, lots of energy, good personality, but she's going to be naked! So, anything you've found that helps, please let me know. And if I figure out anything, I'll let you know. Thanks!

What are you feeding? And how big is your set up? Protein deficiencies and boredom are the main reasons for feather picking.

My bottom birds get plucked somewhat despite these two issues not being a problem for my birds, so there seems to be some domination behavior behind it too.

How old are your birds? Could be she's molting?

 

[Lady Clucksley]

What are you feeding? And how big is your set up? Protein deficiencies and boredom are the main reasons for feather picking.

My bottom birds get plucked somewhat despite these two issues not being a problem for my birds, so there seems to be some domination behavior behind it too.

How old are your birds? Could be she's molting?

Wow, you could not have asked at a more convenient time. My girls are about two, just shy of it, and have been raised together from day one. However, I've only had them a few weeks, and they've been the most peaceful love muffins until a few days ago when Beatrice, who now looks like a pork rind from the shoulders up, just started dropping tons of feathers. I have four girls in a large henhouse and a 10 x 10 run with more toys and fun than a daycare, plus they get a few hours of outside time a day in an 8 x 4 portable run that travels around the yard so they have new places to explore. I put them out there two at a time so they can mix up pairs and stretch out a little more. Anyway, today while covering my poor little pork rind in peck no more and bitter apple spray, I noticed more and more feathers kept fluffing onto me. She's like a leaky pillow, but no skin damage- it's actually very clean and baby soft, with no areas that look plucked. Additionally, she has a lot of spiky little feathers on her head (with the purple from the Peck No More she looks like a Game of Thrones Dragon extra), and none of the dropped feathers look broken or damaged, they're all glossy and fluffy too. I've checked her for parasites, obviously, and treated her with dust when she first got here, along with the others, check them daily, and keep a good amount of DE in their dust bath. The only girl I've seen pulling feathers off of her is my sweet little Maran, and who just lies next to her and gently removes loose feathers, but she grooms everyone, my dog and me included. She likes to gently pick wood chips off of me and moves my hair if it's down. So it's Late summer here, we had about a ten degree drop in temperatures, and she has more shade in her new run than her old; so from what I've read, it sounds like molt isn't out of the question, and I've never been through one with birds, but ohmygosssshhhh there are just so many feathers. So, so, so many feathers. Any insight would be great. Oh, they were on a 16% premium layer feed, but I've switched them up to a 20% grower feed. They get seeds and sprouts when they play in the yard, I've grown sprouts from birdseed in some spots, and get safe fruits and veggies. Fewer fruits, but they always have greens to play with and grass to tear up. Nutri-Drench in water, fish oil and flaxseed in small doses, any unfortunate bug/worm they grab, mealworms once a week. One did trick a toddler into giving them a toddler handful of Apple Jacks cereal, but I don't really count that. I'm just worried sick!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like she's molting, and probably hard if feathers are dropping that fast. It's normal and good for them to grow in new feathers before winter.

Don't be surprised if she gets nearly naked or looks like a porcupine. Some get uncomfortable, some almost look ill. Try not to handle them too much as the new feathers grow in.

The higher protein feed will do her good. I personally don't feed a layer anymore, I prefer a higher protein feed year round.

Molts take about 6 weeks for a quick one, and about 3 months for a slower molt.

 

[MamaHen11]

Great timing! I have a really young EE plucker that I don't know what to do with. At first she'd just pull, but now she's doing it until the other squeals and moves away. My second EE bears the brunt of the behavior and is a bit bloodied as her new, real feathers were replacing the down before they were plucked.

They are on 18% and spend at least two hours free a day. About 5-8 weekends.

Any luck with pluck no more or other things?

 

[zephyr16]

I have one hen getting plucked a lot, not sure by whom, out of 6 total. They have over 200 sq feet of room plus get to free range for at least 3 to 4 hrs a day. There is plenty of feed, oyster shell, grit, dust bath, high protein feed, etc... Guess I will try a flock block. Does that take them away from their layer feed though?