Feather eating

[shirechickens]

I've got two hybrid hens - one's a generic speckeldy and the other is a Sussex/RIR cross. The speckeldy is pulling feathers off the RIR cross and eating them, to the point she has an entirely bare backside. They have plenty of room to roam during the day so I feel pretty confident this isn't an environmental issue, and I keep everything clean and well-maintained. They're on good layers pellets and I give them leftover cat foot as I have heard this can be a sign of protein deficiency, but can that be the case if they're on layers pellets? They don't have many scraps. Advice would be appreciated!

 

[shirechickens]

Doh! Meant to post this in chicken behaviours, so sorry.

 

[Folly's place]

Layer feeds are mostly in the 16% protein range, and were developed to feed Leghorn type birds in total confinement, eating nothing else. Maximum egg production with minimal feed costs. Bigger birds who eat other things may not get enough nutrition from the layer feed, and may do better on an all-flock feed, with separate oyster shell. And cat food is meant for cats!
Some birds are just nasty feather picking jerks, and the pinless peepers may manage her, and make her flockmate a lot happier.
Mary

 

[shirechickens]

Layer feeds are mostly in the 16% protein range, and were developed to feed Leghorn type birds in total confinement, eating nothing else. Maximum egg production with minimal feed costs. Bigger birds who eat other things may not get enough nutrition from the layer feed, and may do better on an all-flock feed, with separate oyster shell. And cat food is meant for cats!
Some birds are just nasty feather picking jerks, and the pinless peepers may manage her, and make her flockmate a lot happier.
Mary

That's interesting about the feed, thank you. They have access to oyster shell already but I might try changing the feed.

 

[Folly's place]

Most chickens will eat some feather that land on the ground, it's this feather picking behavior that's so wrong.
Mary

 

[shirechickens]

It's definitely become a habit, so the pinless peepers may have to be a last resort. Thanks for the advice.