feather eating chickens

[Chickensbytheyard]

Ok. I have a problem with my hens. They seem to love to pick the feathers off the other hens and eat them. I have had to move several from the pen because they have plucked all the feathers from their tails and were bleeding so now they are in a confined space to let their feathers regrow. I don't know what to do to keep them from doing this. I am in the process of building a bigger pen but it will be a month or so before that gets completed. The pen they are in is about 12 x 12 outside and 16 x 12 covered pen they can go in and out. I hope someone can give me some ideas on what to do. I asked a feed store today their thoughts and all I got was hang some fatback on a string and let them peck at it or give them table scraps. ?????? HELP

 

[sourland]

Increased protein may help. Do an on site search on Pin Less Peepers. They can be removed once you have a larger pen and feathers have regrown on the picked on birds.

 

[Acre4Me]

Pinless peepers is a good option. And increasing their protein intake. Feathers are mostly protein, and they may be needing more protein. You can use canned meat, turkey starter, game bird feed, scrambled eggs, fish flake food, and dry cat food (helps to moisten it to soften). Just remember, that is in addition to their regular feed. The other reason they could be picking feathers is boredom or cramped quarters. To relieve boredom, space helps, places to scratch and dust bathe. Visual disruptions, such as a pallet leaned against something so one bird can avoid another.
Good luck.

 

[Chickensbytheyard]

Pinless peepers is a good option. And increasing their protein intake. Feathers are mostly protein, and they may be needing more protein. You can use canned meat, turkey starter, game bird feed, scrambled eggs, fish flake food, and dry cat food (helps to moisten it to soften). Just remember, that is in addition to their regular feed. The other reason they could be picking feathers is boredom or cramped quarters. To relieve boredom, space helps, places to scratch and dust bathe. Visual disruptions, such as a pallet leaned against something so one bird can avoid another.
Good luck.

Thank you for all your information. I had read never to feed chickens meat. What is turkey starter? I will give them some scrambled eggs and dry cat food. Let me know about this meat thing.

 

[gtaus]

Chickens are omnivores, they eat both vegetable and meat. Eating feathers can be a sign the chicken needs more protein in their diet. Meat is high in protein, which is maybe why you were told to feed them table scraps. You can also get higher protein chicken feed which is more animal based meat feed. I feed my chickens kitchen scraps, bones and all. They pick the bones clean and then I just throw the bones into the compost. But if you don't want to feed kitchen scraps, I would ask your local mill for a higher protein feed and see if that helps.

Your chicken run(s) sound plenty big for a small backyard flock, but you did not mention how many hens you have. Also, how big is your coop? I agree that cramped quarters and boredom can cause chickens to start pulling feathers. I am always looking for those signs now that winter is here and my hens do not want to go outside to their snow covered run.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Thank you for all your information. I had read never to feed chickens meat. What is turkey starter? I will give them some scrambled eggs and dry cat food. Let me know about this meat thing.

Never feed chickens meat?? I've not heard that. But I have heard that picking feathers could be a sign of boredom, lack of space, lack protein or all of the above.

We're hunters & when processing our deer, always make a pile of scraps for the girls. If I wouldn't eat it, they don't get it so all is extra lean perfectly good meat.

They eat their regular, organic pellets daily & about once a week get a small ziplock of meat. The only real danger, I've found, is to my fingers as they turn into rather snappy little Velociraptors!! If they've had a good day, I might get them to be more patient as I call each by name & dole out a portion. A good night for me is when I can escape without someone getting worked up thinking that she's not getting enough, snapping blindly at my fingers, clamping on & twisting for all she's worth, lol!!

To be fair, they're always puzzled when I squeal and fuss at them, so I don't think that they mean to hurt me so much as they mean to get as much as they can before anyone else has a chance to get any!

 

[BarredRockMom]

Chickens are omnivores, they eat both vegetable and meat. Eating feathers can be a sign the chicken needs more protein in their diet. Meat is high in protein, which is maybe why you were told to feed them table scraps. You can also get higher protein chicken feed which is more animal based meat feed. I feed my chickens kitchen scraps, bones and all. They pick the bones clean and then I just throw the bones into the compost. But if you don't want to feed kitchen scraps, I would ask your local mill for a higher protein feed and see if that helps.

Your chicken run(s) sound plenty big for a small backyard flock, but you did not mention how many hens you have. Also, how big is your coop? I agree that cramped quarters and boredom can cause chickens to start pulling feathers. I am always looking for those signs now that winter is here and my hens do not want to go outside to their snow covered run.

Agreed, they're omnivores. The first time I saw one of my girls pick up & eat a baby snake from the yard I about keeled over (I know that most are harmless, good for the environment, etc but omg I can't handle 'em.)

I know that this is off topic (I apologize) and probably a bit late now, but if you're interested in doing so, you could get some heavy duty plastic (thickest) sheeting (in the painting tarps section of your local Home Depot) to cover your chicken run. My chicken yard is an A frame so the plastic is unrolled & draped over the yard enclosure, secured with long decking screws thru small diameter PVC pipe "ribs", drilled into the 2x4's. I spread straw on the ground & they stay out of the snow, ice, wind & rain, but still get to go outdoors.

 

[gtaus]

We're hunters & when processing our deer, always make a pile of scraps for the girls. If I wouldn't eat it, they don't get it so all is extra lean perfectly good meat.

I have feed fish remains to my chickens after cleaning fish from a day out on the lake. I would not eat the fish portions (guts, scales and all) that I give to my chickens, but that does not bother me. I do not eat rocks either, but they do. Whenever I offer my chickens meat products, I make sure to remove any leftovers before nightfall so it does not attract predators.

Chickens naturally eat meat and I personally think it's a mistake to try to make them into vegetarians.

 

[gtaus]

I know that this is off topic (I apologize) and probably a bit late now, but if you're interested in doing so, you could get some heavy duty plastic (thickest) sheeting (in the painting tarps section of your local Home Depot) to cover your chicken run. My chicken yard is an A frame so the plastic is unrolled & draped over the yard enclosure, secured with long decking screws thru small diameter PVC pipe "ribs", drilled into the 2x4's. I spread straw on the ground & they stay out of the snow, ice, wind & rain, but still get to go outdoors.

Thanks, I'm leaning towards building an A-Frame chicken run for next winter.

 

[BarredRockMom]

I have feed fish remains to my chickens after cleaning fish from a day out on the lake. I would not eat the fish portions (guts, scales and all) that I give to my chickens, but that does not bother me. I do not eat rocks either, but they do. Whenever I offer my chickens meat products, I make sure to remove any leftovers before nightfall so it does not attract predators.

Chickens naturally eat meat and I personally think it's a mistake to try to make them into vegetarians.

Ha ha, fair point about the fish parts & rocks! My stinkers would take whatever I gave 'em. But I wouldn't eat the fat so I don't give it to them. They'd likely eat it if I did though!