Chickens pecking my Ameraucana? Or something else?

[drdvmd]

Hi all- I'm a relative newbie. In the photo is Dorothy, one of my one year old Ameraucanas. She has been exhibiting feather loss on her neck. It started as a small circular patch and has grown and is now over the right side of her head. I have repeatedly searched her for mites and lice and do not see any. None of the other chickens have feather loss. I believe someone is pecking her. I have never seen any of the girls peck each other so I have no idea who the aggressor is. She has no wounds currently, just feather loss

I have 4 chickens (2 Ameraucanas and 2 buff Orpingtons). They have a very large run and a very roomy coop. I find some feathers in the coop so I believe the pecking is occurring in there. After becoming suspicious for pecking behavior we added another roost in the coop (there are now 3). The girls are not free range and cannot be as we are in a suburban environment. We do let them out to roam supervised a few times a week. What else can/should I be doing in this situation? It's frustrating because the problem seems to be worsening yet I'm not entirely certain what is causing it.

 

[horses56]

Hi,it could be pecking order problems this is when the chicken tries to become higher in the pecking order and the other chickens are putting that chicken back into its place.A pecking or is the popularity among chickens.Just make sure that Dorothy is getting enough food and water.Keep checking for diseases just in case,and if blood is drawn immediately remove her from the coop because chickens can peck at a chickens wound until they are dead and then will eat the chicken.But until blood is drawn just keep her in with the others making sure their is enough food and water going to her.Hope you the best of luck.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did she previously have a beard and muffs? For some reason, chickens love picking at those... one of my EEs has been groomed completely clean of hers. If that's the case it's not aggression or parasites, it's overgrooming.

 

[aart]

Did she previously have a beard and muffs? For some reason, chickens love picking at those... one of my EEs has been groomed completely clean of hers. If that's the case it's not aggression or parasites, it's overgrooming.

I too have had this happen, it's kinda crazy.

I find some feathers in the coop so I believe the pecking is occurring in there.

Usually they eat the feathers. Is it only the bearded birds that are missing feathers?

They have a very large run and a very roomy coop.

Gotta ask how big is this in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would really help!

Also, what all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[drdvmd]

Thanks all. Dorothy did have more of a beard and muffs previously, yes. She is the only bird with a beard. The feather loss only seems to be on the right side of her head currently.

We have a Grandpa's feeder and feed Purina Layena crumbles. Attached is a photo of the run - they also have access to the screened in side of the barn to the right of the run, which is a large space. (We took the screens out so they can come and go from the covered area.) My husband built the run and says it is 150 square feet. The coop in this photo has since been replaced with a bigger one that my husband built.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming you don't see any other feather loss in the birds I'd have to think my guess is correct, that the others are overgrooming her. The beard and muffs will grow back (you may see some pin feathers coming in around the bare area) as long as the others don't continue to pick at the area. The good news is that this doesn't seem to upset the bird that's being groomed, it just makes them look a little naked around the neck.

 

[aart]

The beard and muffs will grow back (you may see some pin feathers coming in around the bare area) as long as the others don't continue to pick at the area. The good news is that this doesn't seem to upset the bird that's being groomed, it just makes them look a little naked around the neck.

Mine didn't grow back until after molt...I almost didn't recognize them after they all grew their beards back! It was weird that year, had a half dozen bearded birds and they would stand around calmly picking each others faces. SMH.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine didn't grow back until after molt...I almost didn't recognize them after they all grew their beards back! It was weird that year, had a half dozen bearded birds and they would stand around calmly picking each others faces. SMH.

My EE started growing her beard/muffs back pretty much as soon as she was picked clean, though I don't hold out much hope for her getting to keep it. She's crossbeaked and a VERY messy eater so her beard gets caked in food. My other EE still has a full set of feathers around her throat... and is also the most likely culprit in overgrooming as I've spotted her grooming the other one several times.

(Couldn't help but add on to this post...) After posting this, I went outside to give the chickens some time on the grass. When they were back in the run, my still-bearded EE was following me around, and when I turned to give her some attention, 3 of the other chickens surrounded her and began vigorously grooming her beard. She stood still as they pulled and twisted at feathers. I sorta waved them off, she moved on, and the others went over and groomed her again. Kind of amazed she still has a beard. When my de-bearded EE came over the 3 groomers checked her for her beard (which is gone) and mostly ignored her when it was clear there was nothing to groom.

 

[drdvmd]

Attached is a photo of the coop. The coop is on the right. It has "two stories" inside, with the nest boxes being upstairs. To the left is a covered area where the girls can be in the bad weather. Someone else suggested to me that this could be the start of a molt for Dorothy. Does anyone else think that is a possibility?

 

[starri33]

Attached is a photo of the coop. The coop is on the right. It has "two stories" inside, with the nest boxes being upstairs. To the left is a covered area where the girls can be in the bad weather. Someone else suggested to me that this could be the start of a molt for Dorothy. Does anyone else think that is a possibility?

I love that coop, nice work by the Hubby.. I believe there is a spray called Peck No More that I think is suppose to stop them from pecking the feathers, you should be able to get this at a Feed and Seed store maybe even tractor supply..