Chickens molting?? / Pecking each other. Help!

[Happy_Hen]

Welcome to BYC! Wishing you the best of luck

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. Stop feeding your chickens treats, and expand their living space because the amount of chickens you have in that little space is unhealthy. It is totally normal for chickens to peck on each other, as they have a complex social hierarchy called the pecking order, although they should not be losing a lot of feathers when it is not molt time or looking unhealthy otherwise.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

@Henloves I don't think the occasional treats are the problem, 20 chickens in 40 square feet is pretty cramped and that will lead to pecking. Chickens need 4 Sq ft per bird in the coop, 10 sq ft per bird in the run. They turn into little cannibals when jammed together. I think you can calm them all down with more space.

 

[Henloves]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. Stop feeding your chickens treats, and expand their living space because the amount of chickens you have in that little space is unhealthy. It is totally normal for chickens to peck on each other, as they have a complex social hierarchy called the pecking order, although they should not be losing a lot of feathers when it is not molt time or looking unhealthy otherwise.

When is molting season?

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Your birds need more space. Feather pecking/plucking tends to start in the winter when birds are trapped in their coop. Once started it is a difficult habit to break. Sometimes the use of Pin Less Peepers is necessary.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. I agree. They need about 4x that amount of space. Are you certain of the measurements? They must be crowded like sardines in a can.

 

[Henloves]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

@Henloves I don't think the occasional treats are the problem, 20 chickens in 40 square feet is pretty cramped and that will lead to pecking. Chickens need 4 Sq ft per bird in the coop, 10 sq ft per bird in the run. They turn into little cannibals when jammed together. I think you can calm them all down with more space.

Thank you! I will get the exact measurements tomorrow. However, we took 5 hens out of that space.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you! I will get the exact measurements tomorrow. However, we took 5 hens out of that space

Is it a prefab coop and run, or did you build it?

 

[Henloves]

Is it a prefab coop and run, or did you build it?

Our neighbor built it. They had to move so, they gave us the coop and chickens.
I will upload a picture tomorrow.

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC