Feather Loss - Disease or Bullying?

[JennLD]

Hello! I am a new chicken mama (since Christmas) and have had more than my fair share of problems. We live on a large lot on a lake, there are a lot earthworms that my girls were loving eating. I was letting them free-range but turned out they had a parasite associated with earthworms (per vet) and we lost about 5 birds over a couple months even with dewormer & antibiotics. I now keep them solely in the run (they're bored!) but their combs look much better. It's been 2 weeks since losing a girl. However several are still weak, and this girl is definitely one of them. The other day I came out and her feathers were picked off. Any chance this is disease or is this bullying? I do have a newly aggressive girl, but I haven't seen feather picking before. I think they're bored with their confinement . My run is my ~700-800 sq ft for 8 girls.

 

[DobieLover]

She already has pin feathers coming in so the missing feathers were more likely pushed out by the pin feathers. Not pulled out by flock mates.
Please post some pictures of your run. How cluttered is it?

 

[JennLD]

She already has pin feathers coming in so the missing feathers were more likely pushed out by the pin feathers. Not pulled out by flock mates.
Please post some pictures of your run. How cluttered is it?

Ok great thank you!!!! Here are some pics. I know the table is odd but they like going under it & stand on top of it so I left it in

 

[JennLD]

She already has pin feathers coming in so the missing feathers were more likely pushed out by the pin feathers. Not pulled out by flock mates.
Please post some pictures of your run. How cluttered is it?

My

She already has pin feathers coming in so the missing feathers were more likely pushed out by the pin feathers. Not pulled out by flock mates.
Please post some pictures of your run. How cluttered is it?

ok that is great info thank you! Here are some pictures of the run, I know the table is a little odd but they like to go under it and also get on top of it so I left it there

 

[DobieLover]

There is pretty much nothing in the run.
I would add a thick layer of wood chips in the entire run, add perches, stumps, old wood chairs, pallets leaning against each other, whatever they might enjoy perching on, hiding under or digging around.
I would also add a 2-ft wide, 1/2" hardware cloth predator apron and go up about 2-ft along the chain link. The run is not very predator proof. You need to try to close off all gaps greater than 1/2".
The open area of the coop needs to be cleaned out. If you just had confirmed parasite load, you want to keep the coop and run as clean and dry as possible.

 

[JennLD]

There is pretty much nothing in the run.
I would add a thick layer of wood chips in the entire run, add perches, stumps, old wood chairs, pallets leaning against each other, whatever they might enjoy perching on, hiding under or digging around.
I would also add a 2-ft wide, 1/2" hardware cloth predator apron and go up about 2-ft along the chain link. The run is not very predator proof. You need to try to close off all gaps greater than 1/2".

You're correct there's nothing much in there at all! . I did plant some small shrubs inside b/c they very much like to hide under then & make their dust baths etc. This is a newer home for them that wasn't meant to be full-time, so I need to give them some distractions I guess. Thank you! Just glad to know I'm not dealing with a poultry version of mange or something