Dealing with vent feather-picking during/after moulting

[aart]

Kind of off topic but....am very curious...just read an excellent book about mountain lions.

and mountain lions on our property.

Bobcat or mountain lion?
Got a game cam?

 

[staceyj]

StaceyJ, thank you for taking the time to reply.

I have grit and oyster shell, both as free choice, always. Also free choice pellet feed, and a five-gallon waterer that we change out for fresh water every other day.

What do you suggest we do otherwise?

In all honesty, no matter how much you love them I think you have some tough decisions ahead.

IMO, Your run as their primary outdoor space -in its current configuration can only really accommodate 6 adult birds. 8 if they are perfectly tempered and completely harmonious.

What you have going on right now is a dozen hormonal teenagers locked in a hallway.

If it were twice as wide you’d be okay, as long as they weren’t trapped in the coop for extended periods.

You have to decide how to change something.

Painless peepers are easy to try but aren’t a permanent fix as far as I’ve read. They might help.
I haven’t used them personally.

You could try the chicken juggle since you said you have an annexed area that’s 6x6.

2 birds could go in there.

It’s too small for four. Three might “fit” but sometimes the dynamics of three doesn’t work.

This space can become your “chicken jail”.

This weekend i’d bundle up if it’s cold where you live, or do some yard work but either way, make yourself an old time cop-show “stakeout”.
...a little bit away from your coop and run.

Sometimes mean girls are so darn sneaky when you’re up close, but they think you aren’t looking if you’re farther away.
Listen to their chatter and complaints.
Try to quietly observe who is being nasty.
Put those two in jail and see if things seem calmer for the rest of the flock.

Ultimately I think you’re going to have to either rehome some chickens or add-on to their space now.