Chickens picking eachothers feathers badly!!

[AllynTal]

Do you think turkey and game bird feed will be okay? It is 20% protein, but Im worried about them not liking it or it not having enough other stuff in it. TIA

Before I went for game bird feed, I'd think about using chick starter feed. You can feed them chick starter and offer oyster shell on the side. Chick starter has higher protein though it lacks calcium; the oyster shell takes care of that.

 

[brandy21410]

Before I went for game bird feed, I'd think about using chick starter feed. You can feed them chick starter and offer oyster shell on the side. Chick starter has higher protein though it lacks calcium; the oyster shell takes care of that.

I looked into the starter, but the flock raiser was cheaper so I went with that and Iam going to supplement the calcium with egg shells. I think it will help, hopefully.

 

[brandy21410]

Do you see them eating the feathers?

What is the protein content of your normal feed?

Check them over for any signs of lice/mites, to makes sure that is not contributing to the feather picking.  Offer a higher protein feed (18-20%) like an All Flock/Flock Raiser formula or give egg, tuna or mackerel for extra protein.  You may also want to give them some poultry vitamins in their a couple of times a week starting out, then go with once a week for a while.

Limit treats to no more than 5-10% of their daily intake. 

*UPDATE* its been about a week and a half and since I have switched them to flock raiser. And also cut back their treats and supplemented cat food. The feather picking persists. They all do it so culling them is not in the question. Could they have mites /lice? I inspected them and no signs except the skin is alittle dirty looking a d one of the chickens bums are red. Also I only jave hens no roo. Please help!!

 

[AllynTal]

Even though the feed doesn't seem to have solved your problem, it's always good to get back to basics when trying to figure out a problem. There are parasites that are too small to see without a magnifying glass. There are mites that eat feathers and make it look like the flockmates are eating the feathers; but you said you have watched them peck and eat the feathers off each other, yes?

 

[brandy21410]

Even though the feed doesn't seem to have solved your problem, it's always good to get back to basics when trying to figure out a problem. There are parasites that are too small to see without a magnifying glass. There are mites that eat feathers and make it look like the flockmates are eating the feathers; but you said you have watched them peck and eat the feathers off each other, yes?

Yes I have a video of them doing it even, but its really bad so I thought maybe it could be both things?

 

[AllynTal]

Yes I have a video of them doing it even, but its really bad so I thought maybe it could be both things?

I don't know at this point. I'm out of ideas. The reasons for pecking each other's feathers are usually:

1) diet - lack of protein, sodium or other nutritional essentials. You've covered that with the change of feed and restricting treats so you know they're getting enough of the good stuff.
2) too small a space -- From what you said in earlier posts, they have plenty of room and have more than enough personal space.
3) stress -- you'd have to decide by their behavior if you feel they are stressed and what might be causing the stress.
4) boredom -- if they don't have enough stimulation in their environment, they can peck each other out of boredom.
5) visible blood veins -- when chickens recover from a molt, the new feather shafts have a blood vein in them that are visible to other chickens. They'll peck at that blood vein. You didn't mention molting, so that's probably not it.
6) not enough nest boxes -- they could peck at each other if a hen is in the nestbox and another hen wants that box. They can get pretty snitty if their favorite box isn't available.

The more I think about it, the more I think that external parasites would cause the chickens to peck at themselves, not each other. One thing I don't remember asking, (and if you mentioned it, I forgot) is where are they pecking each other? Are they pecking on the head and neck in an aggressive act or is it more the back, the tail and wings? Are they pecking in an effort to establish or challenge the 'pecking order' of dominance and subsequently eating the feathers that they pulled out?

I found this article on feather pecking, which may or may not be of any help:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather_pecking

 

[brandy21410]

I don't know at this point. I'm out of ideas. The reasons for pecking each other's feathers are usually:

1) diet - lack of protein, sodium or other nutritional essentials. You've covered that with the change of feed and restricting treats so you know they're getting enough of the good stuff.
2) too small a space -- From what you said in earlier posts, they have plenty of room and have more than enough personal space.
3) stress -- you'd have to decide by their behavior if you feel they are stressed and what might be causing the stress.
4) boredom -- if they don't have enough stimulation in their environment, they can peck each other out of boredom.
5) visible blood veins -- when chickens recover from a molt, the new feather shafts have a blood vein in them that are visible to other chickens. They'll peck at that blood vein. You didn't mention molting, so that's probably not it.
6) not enough nest boxes -- they could peck at each other if a hen is in the nestbox and another hen wants that box. They can get pretty snitty if their favorite box isn't available.

The more I think about it, the more I think that external parasites would cause the chickens to peck at themselves, not each other. One thing I don't remember asking, (and if you mentioned it, I forgot) is where are they pecking each other? Are they pecking on the head and neck in an aggressive act or is it more the back, the tail and wings? Are they pecking in an effort to establish or challenge the 'pecking order' of dominance and subsequently eating the feathers that they pulled out?

I found this article on feather pecking, which may or may not be of any help:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather_pecking

They do agressivley attack each other and there is 4 nesting boxes but they choose to lay in the same one so maybe that is it. And when I check them for mites or lice there just dirty no bugs ir movement. Also they are pecking at the back by the tail and on the head, especially one of my hens is really bad. I switched them to an even higher protein feed and stopped givung them any bread and treats because one of them died yesterday so I checked in her crop and there was glass, but also she was VERY overweight as well (SO much fat!) so Iam just lost. I have raised chickens my entire life and have never had problems like Iam having I just dont understand. I hope things turn arround.

 

[AllynTal]

They do agressivley attack each other and there is 4 nesting boxes but they choose to lay in the same one so maybe that is it. And when I check them for mites or lice there just dirty no bugs ir movement. Also they are pecking at the back by the tail and on the head, especially one of my hens is really bad. I switched them to an even higher protein feed and stopped givung them any bread and treats because one of them died yesterday so I checked in her crop and there was glass, but also she was VERY overweight as well (SO much fat!) so Iam just lost. I have raised chickens my entire life and have never had problems like Iam having I just dont understand. I hope things turn arround.

Oh, I am so sorry you lost one. If there are four boxes, that's probably not it. You said one of them is really bad; did you mean she's getting pecked really bad or she's really bad doing the pecking. Have you tried separating them? Maybe remove one and separate her from the rest to see how the rest behave without that one present? Take turns removing a different one each day and observe the rest. I'm wondering if it might be one hen causing the stress and that's affecting all of them negatively.

 

[AllynTal]

Here's another thought.... I mentioned that boredom and frustration can cause pecking. I went back and looked at the pictures you put in your first post, and it occurs to me that the exercise area looks a bit barren as far as chicken activities go. Is that all of their outside area what is in the pictures?

If yes, try this. Get a cabbage or a head of lettuce (it's okay to feed leafy greens in abundance since they're mostly water). Cut it in half or quarters and tie the chunks up with some string to hang in different places around their exercise area. Make sure there is a break in line-of-sight between at least some of the hanging chunks. Something new in their environment gives them something new to focus on and they'll get some activity pecking at the hanging foodstuffs. If they're pecking each other out of boredom and/or frustration, giving them something new to do will result in observable behavior changes. If they stop pecking each other while they're preoccupied with the cabbage/lettuce, you may have the answer to your dilemma. The trick then will be coming up with different ways to keep them entertained.

 

[brandy21410]

Here's another thought.... I mentioned that boredom and frustration can cause pecking. I went back and looked at the pictures you put in your first post, and it occurs to me that the exercise area looks a bit barren as far as chicken activities go. Is that all of their outside area what is in the pictures?

If yes, try this. Get a cabbage or a head of lettuce (it's okay to feed leafy greens in abundance since they're mostly water). Cut it in half or quarters and tie the chunks up with some string to hang in different places around their exercise area. Make sure there is a break in line-of-sight between at least some of the hanging chunks. Something new in their environment gives them something new to focus on and they'll get some activity pecking at the hanging foodstuffs. If they're pecking each other out of boredom and/or frustration, giving them something new to do will result in observable behavior changes. If they stop pecking each other while they're preoccupied with the cabbage/lettuce, you may have the answer to your dilemma. The trick then will be coming up with different ways to keep them entertained.

It is pretty barren they have access to certain plants and stuff but thats it. The area u see is what they are kept in when I let my dogs out for a little a couple of times a day. Other than that they free range and I have alittlw under an acre. I do give them lettuce and cabbage but dont hang it up like u r saying so I will try that. Honestly they are so agressive towards one another and especially my big buff brahma. They have 4 boxes yo lay in but choose the one, all if them. And carol the brahma patrols the box all day kicking everyone out. She is by far the most agressive. Also the hens are different ages slightly. A couple months apart if that. I introduced them when they were the same size and they never were agressive like this until recently so idk. Its my boyfriends bird so culling her is out of the question. I started out with 13 chickens and now Iam down to only 8. I had to rehome 3 because of my neighbors and 2 died (one of obesity and one of aspergillus) so Iam very lost as to what to do. I will try hanging some treats maybe that will help my agressive birds.