Eating feathers?

[clickchicks]

I caught one my pullets doing this today while I was prepping their food. I keep their coop area very clear so their aren't many feathers around, but I noticed her gobble up a couple that had fallen from their roost.

I've been reading other posts here about it. Is this always due to a lack or protien? They get an 18% protien chick feed and get to graze in a tractor for about 2-4 hours each day, depending on heat. I also throw grasshoppers to them pretty regularly and occasionally some mealworms. I was honestly worried I might be overdoing it with the protien, but maybe not.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

My cockerel had been doing this, and I asked about it. The response was that it could have been that he was hot, bored, overcrowded, or in need of protein. I would think that your chicken might be one of these.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Many of my chickens will eat feathers that are floating around. They are simply taking advantage of a free protein supply. I don't see why it is a problem at all. I don't see how it hurts them. Why do you think it hurts them?

If they are plucking feathers off of other chickens instead of just eating feathers floating around I would see that as a problem. But that is not what you describe.

 

[K0k0shka]

I was just wondering about the same thing. I have one chicken in particular that eats feathers from the ground - only the small fluffy down feathers. She has access to regular feed all the time, and doesn’t seem bored or act unusual, so I haven’t been too worried. She does it when she’s out in the run scratching around and scavenging.

 

[Folly's place]

It's normal behavior, although protein deficient birds will do it too, sometimes more intensely, and off each other.
Mary

 

[K0k0shka]

Would they be deficient if they have standard chick feed? Mine doesn’t pluck feathers, nor does she go looking for them. She just casually eats them if she runs into any as she’s happily scratching around outside.

 

[Folly's place]

Exactly! All normal. I think mine learn it in the brooder, where they spend a couple of weeks with not a lot else to do.
Mary

 

[K0k0shka]

Exactly! All normal. I think mine learn it in the brooder, where they spend a couple of weeks with not a lot else to do.
Mary

Interestingly, I never found any feathers in the brooder, or in the coop and run after they moved out, until my chicks were at least 7-8 weeks old. I thought it was odd that they wouldn’t shed at all. Now they’re 11 weeks old, and there are still only a few feathers anywhere. I have some cool feather patterns so I’ve been waiting for shed feathers to see what the pattern would look like on a single feather, but so far the pretty ones haven’t shed anything yet. Just a few feathers from the others, and some down fluff.

 

[clickchicks]

Would they be deficient if they have standard chick feed? Mine doesn’t pluck feathers, nor does she go looking for them. She just casually eats them if she runs into any as she’s happily scratching around outside.

Same here. The pullet in question still seems to be eating the fluffy down feathers when she sees them, but has never acted aggressive towards the other pullets or pecked at them so I guess its just normal chicken stuff