Feather Pecking

[MndaG]

I recently noticed a lot of feathers in my coop. It looked like an animal got in there with the amount of feather on the ground. When I was able to fully inspect my girls I have one with a lot of her feathers pecked out. I'm not sure if she's doing it to herself or the others doing it to her. The harder part of a feather is still attached to her. She's missing feathers on her wings, back and most of her tail feathers. I think it's due to the winter weather and being bored. Has anyone else had to deal with this issue? What can I do to stop them from continuing this? I live in NH(USA), will this cause issues with the cold weather with the chicken with less feathers?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sounds like feather pecking ... Is it only one being pecked on? Do you have a Roo?
Sounds like it boredom in the coop. How many birds do you have? What is the size of your coop? What are you feeding them?

You could try hanging a head of cabbage for them to peck & play tether ball with. Try a clear plastic water bottle with holes punched in it, add some scratch feed, secure the lid and they'll peck at it trying to get at the scratch, some will fall out as they peck. Bird Block is another idea.

 

[MndaG]

Sounds like feather pecking ... Is it only one being pecked on? Do you have a Roo?
Sounds like it boredom in the coop. How many birds do you have? What is the size of your coop? What are you feeding them?

You could try hanging a head of cabbage for them to peck & play tether ball with. Try a clear plastic water bottle with holes punched in it, add some scratch feed, secure the lid and they'll peck at it trying to get at the scratch, some will fall out as they peck. Bird Block is another idea.

No Roo, and I'm not sure on the size of the coop, but it's a store bought one but I added a large run with it. And yes only one chicken is being pecked.

 

[ChickNanny13]

How many chickens? What was the limit of chickens recommenced?

You're finding the feathers in the coop, that's where the peck starts. The run maybe larger but the recommended space minimum is 4sq ft per chicken in the coop and 10 sq ft per chicken in the run to help prevent flock issues. So due to Chicken Math bigger is always better.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No Roo, and I'm not sure on the size of the coop, but it's a store bought one but I added a large run with it. And yes only one chicken is being pecked.

How old is she? Have you actively seen this feather picking? Is she molting? How is her behavior? Any changes? Is she laying eggs and when was the last one? What breed? Can you post a photo of her? How many birds total? What is being fed including treats and supplements? Any angry red skin below her vent? Do you know her place in the pecking order? Does she avoid or run from a specific other bird or get right in the mix? Post photo of coop, run, and roost for further suggestions please?

Please add your general location to your profile so folks can make the best suggestions possible at a glance, even if you don't state it in you post like you did this time.

Hope all is well for them!

 

[MndaG]

How many chickens? What was the limit of chickens recommenced?

You're finding the feathers in the coop, that's where the peck starts. The run maybe larger but the recommended space minimum is 4sq ft per chicken in the coop and 10 sq ft per chicken in the run to help prevent flock issues. So due to Chicken Math bigger is always better.

I have five chickens. I'm hoping in the spring to go bigger. But it's my second winter with them and I didn't have this issue last year.

 

[MndaG]

How old is she? Have you actively seen this feather picking? Is she molting? How is her behavior? Any changes? Is she laying eggs and when was the last one? What breed? Can you post a photo of her? How many birds total? What is being fed including treats and supplements? Any angry red skin below her vent? Do you know her place in the pecking order? Does she avoid or run from a specific other bird or get right in the mix? Post photo of coop, run, and roost for further suggestions please?

Please add your general location to your profile so folks can make the best suggestions possible at a glance, even if you don't state it in you post like you did this time.

Hope all is well for them!

They are two year old Leghorns. They all lay eggs and they get fed Dumor layer chicken feed. I did change it up with pellets instead of crumbles. Could that be a reason for the pecking? I don't do too many treats. Once a week I'll toss a handful of scratch for them along with oyster shells and grit. I also will give them cooked oatmeal once in a while. When I went to take a couple of pics of her she was already inside for the night, so I was only able to get a pic of her backside, but she has a couple of spots similar to her tail. The pictures aren't the best. And when I went to take her pic I noticed another chicken with some missing from her wings. The pic of my coop is an old one that was taken in 2018. I know it's small and it needs to be bigger. The run does need a roof, but my husband and I put up something during the warmer seasons (spring-fall) we take it down during the winter season because it can't handle the snow.I'm hoping to make the coop bigger this spring

 

[rosemarythyme]

The harder part of a feather is still attached to her. She's missing feathers on her wings, back and most of her tail feathers.

Are you sure this isn't a molt? Did they all already molt during fall? Because that sounds almost like pin feathers growing in, and feather picking doesn't usually result in a "feather duster exploded" looking situation in a coop/run - like I'd expect feathers more spread around instead of all dumped in one area.

Unfortunately I can't see the skin well enough in the photos to tell.

 

[MndaG]

Are you sure this isn't a molt? Did they all already molt during fall? Because that sounds almost like pin feathers growing in, and feather picking doesn't usually result in a "feather duster exploded" looking situation in a coop/run - like I'd expect feathers more spread around instead of all dumped in one area.

Unfortunately I can't see the skin well enough in the photos to tell.

They have never molted before. When do they usually molt?

 

[rosemarythyme]

They have never molted before. When do they usually molt?

They usually molt around fall after their first year, but some may molt as early as summer or as late as winter. Some may molt before first year, some might skip a year.

If she'll allow you to handle her (which she might not, molting is irritating), look more carefully at the bare patches. The "harder part of the feather" that you're seeing, does it look like a bunch of plastic-y coated quills, similar to the ones on the first image on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...st-your-best-worst-chicken-molt-pics.1269409/

If so, that's new feathers growing in during molt.