Feather Pecking

[Kitana724]

Feather Pecking is running rampant in my flock of 23 mixed breed chickens (RIR, BR, BO, GC). I have a few chickens that have bare bottoms. I have just started using the no peck lotion but I'm afraid that won't stop it. Luckily no cannibalism yet.

I have witnessed multiple chickens eating the feathers of other birds, so it's not just one culprit. I've noticed the behavior the most when they are roosting.

There are 23 chickens in a 12x6 enclosed coop (inside the barn). They have access to an outdoor run (25x25) but it has been snowing the past three weeks and they have not gone outside. They have three 6' roosts on a second level of the coop. I use sand for bedding and feed them Purina organic layer crumbles. I recently began adding scratch grains, cat food and black oil sunflower seeds to their diet. I also had an additional light source out there, but I'm thinking of taking that away so they have less light to eat other feathers with.

Any suggestions on how to best curb this behavior?

I also have a very broody hen, but I guess one battle at a time...

 

[Keziah]

my chickens will also pull out each other's feathers when roosting at night. They do this if they want a different spot in the order.will peck it they are trying to get to the top of the pecking order, if they are hungry, or especially if they are bored. Make sure they have plenty of food at all times, and have LOTS of toys or treats to stay happy.
Give them treats, and toys see if that will help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

I would probably cut the light (a little at a time, we are getting longer days now anyways after December 21st!) and lay off the treats. Your girls are mostly dual purpose, I would aim for at least 18-20% protein in their diet. (I know cat food is higher but not formulated with correct level of vitamins minerals and other nutriens, scratch grains is lower and does NOT keep your birds warmer and crud for nutrients mostly empty calories, and BOSS is high fat). Work not to have more than 10% of total daily ration be treats. They may need an additional calcium source if your treats are diminishing it lower than 4 ish %. You can feed their own egg shells back to them. And I would do some sort of scratching area, that has like composting leaves and such that may attract bugs to search for. Maybe try sprouting some fodder. Awesome to get green in the diet. Barley (whole not pearled) works well with minimal growing/mold issues in my experience and only takes 7 or 8 days to get fresh green grass. They eat the whole seed, sprout and all. If you wanna feed out in the sprout stage it has almost equally as much benefits but in half the time and the birds go crazy for it with about 14% protein.

An effective product is called pinless peepers or just peepers. Though I have never personally used them yet. Your coop and run size might be fine for 23 chickens at my house... but your weather means you need more space in order to accommodate all of your personalities. Age plays a role, don't think I caught that.
Roosting time can be brutal. And I imagine especially so with cabin fever!

Sand doesn't stay warm and stinks for dirt bathing in my experience. A tub of unfrozen dirt in the coop might be nice! As well as covering some of the run to keep the snow out. 18 feet of roost is not enough for 23 birds. You need at least 23 unless they are bantam and yours aren't. I suggest adding more roosts.

I ALWAYS collect my feed at night. Chickens don't see very well in the dark and therefor won't be eating. This helps to avoid rat infestations. I still trap rats, but they aren't feeding an ever growing population off of me. In nature things don't breed beyond the food source that's available to them. And they ARE chicken predators and will eat chicks and hens alive!

If the broody isn't gonna raise chicks, best to get her broken now then delaying and allowing her condition to diminish for no reason. There are lot's of battles when you have a good size flock. But this definitely sounds like an issue. Hope you can get it resolved quickly. Just remember even though you start taking steps including nutritional, things didn't get out of whack over night and will take a little time to fully resolve. Be patient and persistent. Maybe have a fecal float done to check for worms that could be causing diminished nutrient absorption. Get a species load count to see IF you need to treat and be sure to use the correct medicine for the right species. It's $18 at my vet for the float, and doesn't have to be avian. Only round worms and tape worms can be seen in the feces and not all the time. Other species stay inside the intestinal tract and only their microscopic eggs will pass in the stool so they will never be seen.

Hope this helps!

 

[micstrachan]

Lots of great info there! I agree with increased protein. Also, if they are unable to dustbathe due to weather, I’d give them a thorough inspection for external parasites (lice, mites) which can also lead to feather pecking. Are they eating the feathers?

 

[Blooie]

@EggSighted4Life - brilliant, my friend!

 

[Kitana724]

Thank you for your responses. The hens are about 10 months old now. And they are definitely eating the feathers.

I am planning on adding another 6' roost and a cover over part of the run once the ground thaws. They have a dust bath tub with wood ash and dirt available to them.

My initial research led me to scratch grains and BOSS, so that's why the extra "treats", mostly to stave off boredom. It seems like a mix between keeping them occupied and not giving treats.

Those peepers seem like they might be a good option. Also the barley sprouts may also help. Once the wind chill gets above -20 tomorrow I'll go out and shovel some space in the run.

I have investigated for external parasites and haven't found any evidence of anything. The broody hen has what looks like a skin tag near the top of her tail.

I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy so my stamina is limited...one thing at a time I guess!

 

[Blooie]

Thank you for your responses. The hens are about 10 months old now. And they are definitely eating the feathers.

I am planning on adding another 6' roost and a cover over part of the run once the ground thaws. They have a dust bath tub with wood ash and dirt available to them.

My initial research led me to scratch grains and BOSS, so that's why the extra "treats", mostly to stave off boredom. It seems like a mix between keeping them occupied and not giving treats.

Those peepers seem like they might be a good option. Also the barley sprouts may also help. Once the wind chill gets above -20 tomorrow I'll go out and shovel some space in the run.

I have investigated for external parasites and haven't found any evidence of anything. The broody hen has what looks like a skin tag near the top of her tail.

I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy so my stamina is limited...one thing at a time I guess!

Skin tag or oil gland? And congratulations on the new baby! We all do what we can do, when we can do it, and the chickens don't seem to suffer too much - um, unless we forget food and water...then they get unreasonably testy!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy so my stamina is limited

Gosh on my second child I remember falling asleep and being very tired during that time, before I knew I was pregnant. And lets not forget emotional.

I even sometimes throw standard pellets on the ground for them to scratch at. Another alternative with better nutrition, though I don't know about cost.. would be dried whole or split peas.

The barley sprouts don't grow in the ground and require zero digging! I bought mine at the feed store and they should be feed grade not seed grade to avoid any pesticides or fertilizers that might be included. It was $18 for 50#. You start by rinsing the seeds (1/4 to 1/2 cup adjust when you figure out how much your flock will consume) then let soak in a jar over night on the counter. Drain and spread out the next day into a flat container (or rinse inside the jar until it's too full for anymore growth and then move to flat container). Sometimes I use old plastic cake or pie container tops with holes poked for drainage. Rinse at least twice per day, until it gets as tall as you want (less than 4 inches for chickens, I prefer 3 to avoid possible crop blockage) and it will be green. This takes 8-9 days for me because our house is 60 degrees. Warmer will take less time. You can even try to sprout the BOSS, but that is a little harder from what I understand but still very doable. Maybe try a few? for that matter even unsprouted barley has more nutrients than scratch so even adding it to the mix might be helpful. I'm certainly no expert though and just using reasonable deduction with what little info I do have. *MAYBE* even oats or wheat (both sold at feed store and sproutable) might be better dry than scratch. Don't get me wrong, I have no judgement and just trying to help come up with alternative solutions... With WAY to many thoughts in my brain.

Brrr, that sounds COLD! One thing at a time indeed.

A new baby is definitely exciting, congratulations!

Maybe put the scratch in a 2 liter or coffee can with some holes drilled so they have to kick it around to get it to dispense. Slows down their consumption and increases their focus on an activity. Hanging a head of broccoli or cabbage, or even an ear of corn.. just out of reach so they have to jump for it. Maybe even at a couple of locations.

 

[Blooie]

I hung suet cages in the run for exercise, extra fat and protein, and as boredom busters. They loved them, and it was so simple to just pop a suet cake in the cages and take them out. The rest of the year I'd stuff them full of whatever I had....chunks of apple, frozen watermelon - absolutely anything I could stuff and still get the little door shut. Speaking of the little door, you would have to twistie tie it shut....they get those cages swinging pretty good when they're attacking it!! I DID NOT DO THIS EVERY DAY! Treats are treats, not a steady diet. I also made my own suet, since I rinsed out and saved the little plastic joo-jobbies that the original suet came in. It has lard, crunchy peanut butter, cornmeal, oatmeal, dried fruits (any I had on hand, like the last bit of raisins that never seem to get eaten before they turn into a brick) and BOSS.

 

[Folly's place]

I think there are several possible issues here. Very crowded conditions, in the coop, and roost space.
Change to an all-flock diet, and very few treats, with oyster shell on the side. Better nutrition pays off!
Mix the new food into the old so it's not an overnight change. Chickens hate changes!
Gradually reduce lighting, same reason.
In my experience, production reds and red sex-links are very likely to feather pick, and worse, even in ideal conditions. I don't have them in my flock!
If you have certain birds who look wonderful, they may be your worst offenders. If you have a few who are causing most of the trouble, separate them from the rest.
Mary