Debeak or not

[mashby]

Hi, I am new to the flock and have a serious problem with my chickens. My husband and I were raised around chickens and thought it would be nice to get a few hens and a rooster. We went a little overboard. I ended up with 9 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster. I also got 11 RRI hens and a rooster. Then I decided I wanted a few Black Austerlorps. I bought 26 chicks. the RRI and Orpingtons are in seperate pens, about 20X20. The 22 remaining 4 month old Auterlorps are in their own pen. The grown chickens started plucking out each others feathers at the base of their tail feathers and below the tail feather area. The 4 month olds started doing the same thing but are killing each other. I feed scratch feed, laying mash, greens out of the garden, oyster shells and table scraps. Everyone I have talked to say they are missing something in their diet. Any suggestions? They are starting to look pretty bad. I don't know what to do.

 

[aart]

Hi, I am new to the flock and have a serious problem with my chickens. My husband and I were raised around chickens and thought it would be nice to get a few hens and a rooster. We went a little overboard. I ended up with 9 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster. I also got 11 RRI hens and a rooster. Then I decided I wanted a few Black Austerlorps. I bought 26 chicks. the RRI and Orpingtons are in seperate pens, about 20X20. The 22 remaining 4 month old Auterlorps are in their own pen. The grown chickens started plucking out each others feathers at the base of their tail feathers and below the tail feather area. The 4 month olds started doing the same thing but are killing each other. I feed scratch feed, laying mash, greens out of the garden, oyster shells and table scraps. Everyone I have talked to say they are missing something in their diet. Any suggestions? They are starting to look pretty bad. I don't know what to do.

This is an old thread, look at the dates on the posts. I suggest you start a new thread with your problem to get more responses or first do some searching on 'feather picking'. Picking can be lack of protein and/or over crowding.

Maybe add a few more details to your new thread asked below:

You have 22 chickens, Orps and RRI, in a 20x20 pen and 22 australops in another... what sized pen? How much of what kind of feed are you giving each day.

 

[mashby]

I have 13 RIR in a 20X20, 10 Buffs in a 20X20 and 21 4 mo old Austerlorps in 20X20 pens. Everyone I have talked to seems to think it is a diet issue. Protein to to exact. The 4 mo old are actually killing each other. The adults are just plucking feathers and are unsightly. Some say feet them hamburger other say scrambled eggs. Some suggest debeaking but that seems extreme. Help!!