Chickens eating feathers...

[kybeagle]

I was watching my 3 month old pullets today playing keep-away. One picked up a feather about 4 inches long and took off running with it while others chased her. All of a sudden she stopped and swallowed it down, is this normal?

 

[buckabucka]

Mine are always eating feathers, so I hope it is normal!
Robin

 

[Imp]

Feather eating is "normal". That is to say it might be a sign that the chickens are not getting enough protein in their diet. You might want to increase the protein you feed.

Imp

 

[kybeagle]

Quote:
They are 3 months old and I am feeding them Purina "Starter and Grower", should I be giving them anything else?

 

[GermanChick]

Mine are eating feathers too, they are 4 months old. I just switched them from start&grow to flock raiser with 20% Protein. I wanted to get them off the medicated stuff since I am hoping to get some eggs here pretty soon

I don't know if they will stop the feather eating now with the higher protein...... we will see.

 

[drunkdog]

anytime I observe feather eating I feed an egg or two...that ups the protein for sure and they love it

 

[Ariel301]

Mine do that "keep away" game with everything! It seems that bright colored things or especially white things are their favorites. They're getting probably more protein than they need, but I see them eat feathers occasionally, and today I had to catch a hen and pry a loose collar tag off one of the goats out of her beak! Fortunately she did not swallow it because the others were chasing her too much and she couldn't stop running to eat! Sometimes it is gross what they will eat. I would not worry if it just happens occasionally; sometimes I think mine pick something up to check it out because it is interesting, and then the others think it is food, and chase them, and their instinct to keep food to themselves makes them think what they are carrying is a good treat, so they swallow it to keep the other birds from getting it.

Now, if they are ravenously eating feathers, that is a different story. That is probably a protein deficiency.