Chickens bullying / feather plucking .. I need help

[Castronaut]

I have exhausted all my resources all my reading to the best that I have can with my chickens.

However they are still pecking feathers out from each other and bullying.

I have 11 chickens a mix of Easter eggs let’s , welsummers, isa browns, Cochins and australorps.

My chickens have been pecking everyone’s feathers it seems like they are all bald .

I have reduced the size of my flock , given them meat as protein, tried the no peck sprays and creams ..

All to no help.

I’m extremely sad and feel like I have failed with raising my chickens ..

Any help would be greatly appreciated I will try anything to make them happy and not want to peck any more feathers .

Please and thank you

 

[sourland]

Do they have adequate space? If so you may want to do an on site search on 'Pin Less Peepers'. They can control the situation and sometimes even break the habit so that they may be removed once feathers are regrown. Good luck.

 

[Mrs. K]

^^ by sour land - that is exactly what I was going to say. If those don't work, cull again.

 

[Castronaut]

Okay so I just ordered them on Amazon. I have came across them before and passed them up but now that I have feedback from you both I just purchased them … thank you guys so much

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck.

Is their feed elevated protein? Over a layer feed, I would suggest a 20% protein all-flock. I see you’ve supplemented protein, just wasn’t sure about the feed.

In your picture, I see 4 birds up on a high spot. Make more high spots and add some roosts in the run. One year we had a difficult integration…tons of bullying going on with the young birds by the older birds (despite see-no-touch for 3-4 weeks prior). We added roosts in the run and they helped greatly. When they roost in the run they don’t seem to pick at each other - it’s different than roosting at night when they squabble.

Hopefully the pinless peepers help too.

 

[aart]

How old are these birds, in weeks or months?
Did they all grow up together or have some been added?

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics showing it all would help immensely here

 

[3KillerBs]

In addition to the above, adding "clutter" might help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[SandyRiverChick]

You said you'd do anything, so..... How about letting them out of the run? Can they free-range for a bit daily? I suspect the space if to small....

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Elevate protein, have adequate foraging space or free range time, provide a hanging cabbage or corn cob, etc., if confined to a pen for their protection against predators.
Chickens all want to peck & forage, they do need the space to do that. Mine love "weeding & debugging" the yard & garden. If they can't peck around outside at some point, they'll peck eachother or peck eggs.

 

[Lor]

Good advice was given. I hope you find some things that will help.
I just wanted to add, if you know who the culprits are doing the pecking or it seems lie all/most of them? If it's one or two hens maybe separating those out in a pen within the run for a time.