Eating feathers

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
Ok, then you need to look into some Anti-Pick medications. You've probably got a canabalistic chicken, and not a vitamin deficiency....

 

[Tom Gant]

I didn't mention these hens have been togather for 2years and this problem just started this summer. I have got the blue spray to see if this helps I will try and post results in a few weeks. Good Luck to all

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
Baby fluff?.. no seriously, I'm talkin' full blown feathers here.. several inches long, very big.. baby fluff, no big deal.. but to see them fight over a great big feather... looks very different to me

I'm not worried, I believe they'll do what theyre supposed to do, but new owners, such as myself who still arent' confidant that our husbandry program is sufficient or even good, still wonder about these quirky behaviors.

oh, i knew what you were talking about, i was just citing an example that i found endearing.

i went to a regional fair last weekend where there were lots of chickens in the poultry house and i saw no fewer than ten eating or fighting over feathers, all lovely, shiny fowl in show condition. my grown hen carefully removes her shed feathers from her pen. the little ones eat them up.

 

[swtangel321]

I posted a topic like this not to long ago, and was told to feed some black oil sunflower seeds.... it helped !!!! cant remember what they have in them that the chickens need, if you do a search im sure you will find the post !!!!

 

[DawnSuiter]

Quote:
That just goes to show there is either more than one way to deal with the same situation or that not every situation needs a solution..

I've been feeding the sunflower seeds for weeks now every day just cuz we have so many. I thin it's fine they eat their feathers sometimes, just somethin' else I wasn't expecting

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My girls have been feather eating fools since the day they arrived here on our farm! LOL They are now 14 weeks old so my guess is it doesn't hurt them?? I try to grab the feathers and they take off running like a chicken with it's head cut off.

 

[Anniekb]

I've got a bunch of young Delies, 18 weeks old, some of the roosters are pulling random feathers off the hens (neck, tail, anywhere they can grab)and eating them. They are getting 16% organic layer, and I've been feeding them split peas and sunflower seeds for extra protein, plus fresh weeds and hay daily-(granite grit too) and they are still eating feathers!! They are not free range due to pairs of nesting hawks on the perimeter of our farm, but they have a huge run and new huge chicken coop. I have this problem too, but the extra protein isn't helping. I can't use the pick medicine as it is random picking. What can I do?

 

[TexasJoe]

Quote:
seperate the cannibal, atleast long enough for all the others to heal and to make sure that you've got the right picker

 

[Anniekb]

Thanks Texas Joe -

Butchering will at the end of this week, I have a prime suspent who will be great in the oven!