Feather loss

[KK'schicks]

Hi! Hoping for some help. I've searched and just don't know the cause of this feather loss. I have 4 hens, almost 2 years old. All of them have feather loss, one having a completly bare bottom area. I've checked for lice and mites but don't see them. What am I missing?? They have plenty of space...but could they still be plucking each other?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It does look like feather picking which can be from boredom or crowding, and from a protein deficiency. What are you feeding? I recommend trying to up the protein by putting them on something like a non medicated starter grower or an All Flock with 18-20% protein.

Sometimes feather picking becomes a bad habit. Is there one hen that looks fine? Identifying the culprit is important, and potentially removing them if it's just a single member.

 

[50-45-1]

How many birds and how much space exactly?

 

[KK'schicks]

How many birds and how much space exactly?

 

[KK'schicks]

4 birds. Coop is 4 x 8, attached run is at least 8 ft tall x 15 ft long.

 

[KK'schicks]

It does look like feather picking which can be from boredom or crowding, and from a protein deficiency. What are you feeding? I recommend trying to up the protein by putting them on something like a non medicated starter grower or an All Flock with 18-20% protein.

Sometimes feather picking becomes a bad habit. Is there one hen that looks fine? Identifying the culprit is important, and potentially removing them if it's just a single member.

They are all missing feathers. I just went and did a thorough check for mites/likes...nothing. I will get the new food asap, thank you! I'm also going to make some chicken toys and a grazing box to help boredom.

 

[50-45-1]

You can fix up the run, giving them something to do, and fix there nutrition, but getting those feathers back may be difficult. Feather pickers love those delecti

able pin feathers. You may have a couple feather pickers or they may all be doing it.
Concider buying some pinless peepprs and put them on all your girls. After 4 to 6 weeks after all bare skin is covered by feathers, take them off and observe closely go see if the habbit is broken.
My feather picker did not return to picking feathers when i did this to her. She wore the glasses for 6 weeks.
Good luck.

 

[Mrs. K]

Nice set up. I would add more stuff to the run. Clutter it up. If you think about it, any bird can see any other bird no matter where the bird is standing in your run. Add some roosts you have a nice height for it. Add some mini walls, just tall enough so that a bird behind it can't be seen. Lean up a pallet against a wall, put a pallet up on blocks. It will look more cluttered to you, but much more interesting to your birds. Plus it will make use of the 3rd dimension, verticle space.

 

[KK'schicks]

You can fix up the run, giving them something to do, and fix there nutrition, but getting those feathers back may be difficult. Feather pickers love those delectiView attachment 1749675 able pin feathers. You may have a couple feather pickers or they may all be doing it.
Concider buying some pinless peepprs and put them on all your girls. After 4 to 6 weeks after all bare skin is covered by feathers, take them off and observe closely go see if the habbit is broken.
My feather picker did not return to picking feathers when i did this to her. She wore the glasses for 6 weeks.
Good luck.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[KK'schicks]

Nice set up. I would add more stuff to the run. Clutter it up. If you think about it, any bird can see any other bird no matter where the bird is standing in your run. Add some roosts you have a nice height for it. Add some mini walls, just tall enough so that a bird behind it can't be seen. Lean up a pallet against a wall, put a pallet up on blocks. It will look more cluttered to you, but much more interesting to your birds. Plus it will make use of the 3rd dimension, verticle space.

So true...didn't think about them not having any where to kinda "escape other girls". We just finished the coop so I will fill it with clutter asap Thank you!