Feather Picker / Eater

[Disheygirl]

I noticed two raw spots on either side of my Brahma pullet yesterday...she was also hiding out in the coop and I now know why.

My EE is plucking her (the Brahma’s) feathers and eating them. I also saw her do it to my Ameracauna just now and she ate the feather. The Americauna and Brahma have fluffier feathers low down and I guess they’re delicious?

The Brahma is 3.5 months and the EE is 3 months. I have eight total - three five month olds, two 3.5 and three 3 month olds. They’ve all lived together for a month now. The three older girls are definitely alpha - the EE is probably middle of the flock out of the five younger, but they’re all aware of the three big girls so there isn’t much challenging within the five.

They’re on an organic soy-free grower. Free oyster shells and grit (the five aren’t laying yet). Treats are mealworms and veggies now and again. A little plain yogurt here and there.

I ordered some of those glasses for her...what else? Why is she doing it? Their run is about 20x15 and then they also have a grass run and their coop.

 

[BrickCoop15]

Sometimes it is do to overcrowding, but that doesn't sound like that is an issue in your setup. Some people will increase the protein percentage in their feed to see if it is a dietary issue, but grower feed usually has higher protein levels than layer feed so again it probably is not the issue either. It could also be just boredom.

You could add things into your run like old chairs, roosting bars, , or logs for the picked on chickens to jump up on to escape the feather plucking pullet.

 

[Disheygirl]

Sometimes it is do to overcrowding, but that doesn't sound like that is an issue in your setup. Some people will increase the protein percentage in their feed to see if it is a dietary issue, but grower feed usually has higher protein levels than layer feed so again it probably is not the issue either. It could also be just boredom.

You could add things into your run like old chairs, roosting bars, , or logs for the picked on chickens to jump up on to escape the feather plucking pullet.

The problem is that the Brahma is a larger bird and more chill. Now that I’m sitting and watching from the window (it doesn’t happen when I’m out there) I can see that the EE just follows the Brahma around. She can’t get away because anywhere one can go, the other can too. I’ll try adding more stuff in their area...worst case, maybe when it cools off a bit, I can put a saddle on her so the EE can’t get to her preferred spot. She is pecking at both of them in the exact same area. So weird.

 

[BrickCoop15]

I had a pullet that pecked the feet of other chickens, leaving them with bloody sores. She targeted the more passive chickens that were lower in the pecking order. I covered the injured chickens sores with Vet Wrap because she continually went for the same spot and she eventually quit.

The saddles would be a great way to protect the pecked areas and hopefully make her lose interest in feather picking.