feather eaters

[firechicken]

Is it ok that my new ladies are eating feathers? They are not pulling them off and eating them they are just picking them off the ground and eating them.
I saw two of them eat one and then spit it back up. They put their heads down and they came back up with a bunch of saliva. Like they spit up. Now they are not spitting them up that I see. So is this normal? I was also wondering if they think they are bread crumbs, because I put out some bread crumbs earlier.

Just FYI they have plenty of feed and grit and I am trying to find other treats they like.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Trevor

 

[rooster-red]

I asked this same question a couple of weeks ago, never really got an answer.
Maybe you'll get one and we'll both know.

 

[silkiechicken]

Usually birds eat feathers when they want more protein and/or manganese. As they are not picking on each other I wouldn't worry too much. You can try supplementing a bit of cat food as a treat along with black sun flower seeds... Some birds I think though eat it for fun!

 

[Southern28Chick]

All my chickens have done this, it's just a chicken thing. Completely normal.

 

[firechicken]

Thanks for the quick responses! I am having a lot of fun watching and learning all their behaviors.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
I feed mine cat food once a week and sunflower seeds as a treat every day, so lack of protien would not be an issue in my girls case.

Forgot to mention that out of my 10 hens only 2 do this.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
I feed mine cat food once a week and sunflower seeds as a treat every day, so lack of protien would not be an issue in my girls case.

Forgot to mention that out of my 10 hens only 2 do this.

I've always been told it's just normal behavior and has nothing to do with dietary needs. I don't think much of it when my girls do it.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, in that case, you got a feather clean up crew

I wouldn't worry about it since they aren't picking feathers off each other and eating those.

 

[rooster-red]

Great, now I can stop wondering about it.

 

[firechicken]

Yup, a clean up crew is nice. Very efficient flock I got there.

Too bad I don't have a roo, I could use the feathers for fly tying.