Feather picking and a possible way to control it

[azygous]

Today, the Ivermectin came from Amazon, and I treated my entire flock of 18. Now that I know what to look for, it appears every chicken in the flock has the mites, some worse than others. It took quite a while to do each chicken, and some of course had to put up a struggle just on principle.

Two weeks from today, we get to do it all over again. Maybe I'll come to find that I have far fewer feather pickers than I thought.

I really am conflicted over discarding the eggs, though. Does anyone know what Ivermectin would do to you if you ate the eggs? The only info I can find are warnings against trying to take Ivermectin off lable for Covid. Nothing about what a poultry dose ending up in eggs would do.

 

[aart]

I really am conflicted over discarding the eggs, though. Does anyone know what Ivermectin would do to you if you ate the eggs? The only info I can find are warnings against trying to take Ivermectin off lable for Covid. Nothing about what a poultry dose ending up in eggs would do.

Hard to say, AFAIK there's never been an egg study as far as withdrawal goes.

 

[azygous]

From what I've read on Ivermectin formulated for people, if a lactating woman had to take it for some reason, it gets into breast milk but it won't harm the infant. The question is, and there is no info on this, how different are the human formulated Ivermectin and the animal formula? If they are both labeled "Ivermectin", they are likely the same thing.

I sell my eggs, so this is a big issue.

 

[KellyBogo]

Update. I've been giving the four worst pickers the tryptophan in #0 gel caps. It's the easiest method I've come up with to dose the ones that need it the most. The short term results so far are a decreased incidence of picking, but not altogether gone.

But I may have discovered a more sinister cause of the broken, tattered feathers in the short interval since fall molt. Depluming mites. Some of my chickens probably have had them for years. Due to my bias toward picking, I overlooked this.

What got me to notice was my oldest rooster's neck feathers appeared to be thinning and fading despite the boys being kept away from the neck picking hens. Strawberry the Cream Legbar has golden neck feathers, and they have been turning white. Then I saw feathers from his neck in the boys' run. I picked them up and noticed how thin they are, sort of threadbare like an old pillow case after decades of wear. The feathers were stripped. Same with his saddle feathers.

Here's the article that confirmed my suspicions. https://wagwalking.com/bird/condition/depluming-scabies It was like little blinking road signs leading straight to the cause.

So, yesterday I mixed up some Elector PSP dipping solution and put it in a squeeze bottle with a pointy applicator tip, and I saturated the skin at the base of all of the feathers on the two roosters and three hens with the same affected feathers. The day wasn't real cold, but it was crisp, so I turned on the heat lamps in the runs so the soggy victims could keep warm as they dried.

This is an unexpected development. It is making me reassess the extent of actual feather picking in my flock. I've always suspected feather quality issues may have less to do with protein deficiency than with other causes, such as how some chickens' brains are wired, but depluming mites never crossed my mind.

Hello!

Did the mite treatment work as to eliminate the feather picking? Was it the mites all along causing the behavior?
I have a serious feather picking problem in my flock as well.

 

[azygous]

I did another Ivermectin treatment this fall, and now everyone but the two Buttercups have complete new outfits. So I'm not able to say for sure that treating for feather mites improved anything.

But feather picking is picking up again in my flock. Feather picking, I've concluded over the fifteen years of keeping chickens, is seasonal and related to the uptick in hormones. Just yesterday I watched as a previously non-feather picker went boldly up to the head rooster and started pecking at his slender cowl feathers. To my gratification, her did confront her with a scolding peck on the head for her insolence. That is a new behavior, but I won't get excited over him protecting himself since roosters almost always permit the hens to shave their necks with impunity.

My flock management rules have changed since last year. I now keep the two roosters separate from the predations of the eighteen hens, half of whom are identified feather pickers. If hens are allowed to visit with the roosters, it's just a couple at a time and under supervision. This works both ways, by the way. It protects the roosters from getting their necks and saddles shaved, but the hens suffer less back feather damage, as well.

 

[KellyBogo]

I did another Ivermectin treatment this fall, and now everyone but the two Buttercups have complete new outfits. So I'm not able to say for sure that treating for feather mites improved anything.

But feather picking is picking up again in my flock. Feather picking, I've concluded over the fifteen years of keeping chickens, is seasonal and related to the uptick in hormones. Just yesterday I watched as a previously non-feather picker went boldly up to the head rooster and started pecking at his slender cowl feathers. To my gratification, her did confront her with a scolding peck on the head for her insolence. That is a new behavior, but I won't get excited over him protecting himself since roosters almost always permit the hens to shave their necks with impunity.

My flock management rules have changed since last year. I now keep the two roosters separate from the predations of the eighteen hens, half of whom are identified feather pickers. If hens are allowed to visit with the roosters, it's just a couple at a time and under supervision. This works both ways, by the way. It protects the roosters from getting their necks and saddles shaved, but the hens suffer less back feather damage, as well.

Thank you so much for your reply. I have 14 hens, no roosters. I was considering adding a rooster to cub the bad behavior, but it may just be fresh “meat” (feathers) for my feather pickers…
I’m a first time chicken owner. We bought alll of our chickens from TSC and they were hatched in March.
We were free ranging once they aged out of the brooder. A hawk attacked and killed one of our hens and we decided to keep them in the enclosed run from here on out. This was in August of this year.
My husband built an amazing coop/run. It’s very spacious. I will try to attach pictures.
The run space is 8’Wx32’L. We researched plenty as to the spacial recommendations per bird.
The coop is 8’Wx6’L with two 8ft roosting bars (16ft of roosting space). Five nesting boxes inside the coop.
Many of my hens began losing feathers on the lower back…then many began losing feathers on the neck…
My initial thought was mites. I did 3 subsequent nightly inspections and found zero signs of a parasite infestation.
I opted to go ahead and clear out the bedding and treat the coop with Elector PSP anyway, as well as the nesting boxes and individual birds.
The feather loss was still happening, and at a rapid rate in early November of this year. I know assumed it was molting, but my research showed that they were too young to molt.
I upped their feed to 20% protein (Kulmbach Feed) and they receive daily mealworm treats. I also feed canned tuna (in water) every other day as an added source. I’ve even fed them some scrambled eggs a few times!
None of these steps seemed to be improving the feather situation. Argh!!
We live in Michigan and we had an arctic blast in early December. Four days of -19 degrees and I thought my girls were goners with all of that baldness! I’m proud to say that they survived and not one had frostbite. We did not heat the coop (I pushed for it, but hubby refused. Glad he did).
My last result was to install security cameras for the chickens to see WHAT IN THE HECK is going on…
BUSTED! I have 4 major bullies, who literally treat the other hens like a “feather buffet”. It’s absolutely sickening how many feathers they are eating!
My husband says to cull them. I would, but only aster I’ve exhausted every avenue.
1) Space. I think they have ample space. Please correct me if I am wrong! We are adding an additional outdoor play area (connected via “Chunnel” (chicken tunnel)) in hopes that it will help.
2. Protein. Am I doing enough with this?
3. Pinless Peepers. Arrive tomorrow. The application of these are intimidating to me. Are they humane? Do they work?
4. Boredom. I mean…what more can I do? I have 3 kiddos who visit daily after school. I see them regularly. Should I be doing more?
5. Stress. I don’t know what they could be stressed about..maybe shortened daylight hours?

Is the best answer to just cull the bullies? This is very stressful to me. I have a friend who does just enough for her birds, and they are so happy and full of plumage..what am I doing wrong?

 

[KellyBogo]

Thank you so much for your reply. I have 14 hens, no roosters. I was considering adding a rooster to cub the bad behavior, but it may just be fresh “meat” (feathers) for my feather pickers…
I’m a first time chicken owner. We bought alll of our chickens from TSC and they were hatched in March.
We were free ranging once they aged out of the brooder. A hawk attacked and killed one of our hens and we decided to keep them in the enclosed run from here on out. This was in August of this year.
My husband built an amazing coop/run. It’s very spacious. I will try to attach pictures.
The run space is 8’Wx32’L. We researched plenty as to the spacial recommendations per bird.
The coop is 8’Wx6’L with two 8ft roosting bars (16ft of roosting space). Five nesting boxes inside the coop.
Many of my hens began losing feathers on the lower back…then many began losing feathers on the neck…
My initial thought was mites. I did 3 subsequent nightly inspections and found zero signs of a parasite infestation.
I opted to go ahead and clear out the bedding and treat the coop with Elector PSP anyway, as well as the nesting boxes and individual birds.
The feather loss was still happening, and at a rapid rate in early November of this year. I know assumed it was molting, but my research showed that they were too young to molt.
I upped their feed to 20% protein (Kulmbach Feed) and they receive daily mealworm treats. I also feed canned tuna (in water) every other day as an added source. I’ve even fed them some scrambled eggs a few times!
None of these steps seemed to be improving the feather situation. Argh!!
We live in Michigan and we had an arctic blast in early December. Four days of -19 degrees and I thought my girls were goners with all of that baldness! I’m proud to say that they survived and not one had frostbite. We did not heat the coop (I pushed for it, but hubby refused. Glad he did).
My last result was to install security cameras for the chickens to see WHAT IN THE HECK is going on…
BUSTED! I have 4 major bullies, who literally treat the other hens like a “feather buffet”. It’s absolutely sickening how many feathers they are eating!
My husband says to cull them. I would, but only aster I’ve exhausted every avenue.
1) Space. I think they have ample space. Please correct me if I am wrong! We are adding an additional outdoor play area (connected via “Chunnel” (chicken tunnel)) in hopes that it will help.
2. Protein. Am I doing enough with this?
3. Pinless Peepers. Arrive tomorrow. The application of these are intimidating to me. Are they humane? Do they work?
4. Boredom. I mean…what more can I do? I have 3 kiddos who visit daily after school. I see them regularly. Should I be doing more?
5. Stress. I don’t know what they could be stressed about..maybe shortened daylight hours?

Is the best answer to just cull the bullies? This is very stressful to me. I have a friend who does just enough for her birds, and they are so happy and full of plumage..what am I doing wrong?

Here is the chicken tunnel we are working on

 

[fargosmom]

Here is the chicken tunnel we are working on

I have a couple of observations for you. Your coop and run are beautiful! Lots of room and lovely. But there aren’t many places for girls lower in the pecking order to get away from bullies. You might try creating elevations and obstacles - think jungle gyms and playsets for chickens. Enough to give those getting bullied a physical barrier to hide behind, or a way to get up off the ground and out of harms’ way. I’ve used pallets and scrap wood to build stuff - there are a couple of pics added below.
Second, you WILL have bullies. What you do with them depends on how valuable they are to you. If they’re good layers, use peepers. I’ve had good success with them and if they are an alternative to culling, I don’t think they’re cruel. Tricky to put on - you’ll want help with that. Once they’re on best they stay there, although you can try removing after a couple of seasons - the behavior may return so decide if that’s worth the risk.
I have recently offered a couple of bullies free to good home on Craigslist. Moving to a new flock where they are outnumbered may mean they get a little of their own medicine, or perhaps have a rooster who offers some discipline . . , I once had a hen who maintained order by flogging bullies. It’s all a crapshoot but in the end it’s your call about how much bullying you will tolerate. I can say 100% for sure that my current flock is happier and better feathered since the two worst offenders went to a new home.

 

[Perris]

As it happens I have recently been reading a PhD thesis with a chapter about feather pecking. It says a lot more research needs to be done on this, but meanwhile recommends providing daily access to free range, and improved litter quality, as well as enough protein in the feed, to reduce the incidence of feather pecking and injury in affected flocks.
Chapter 2 in https://www.pluimveeweb.nl/site/ass..._free-range_laying_hens_-_monique_bestman.pdf

 

[fargosmom]

Free range is great in theory but not practical for most of us. Plus it brings the risk of loss due to predators, which is a tough trade-off. We opted for building the biggest run we could (15’ x 30’) and giving the girls a lot of places to roost or hide. I think crowding is key. The space per bird suggestions are absolute minimums, and feather picking is probably the cost of being too close to minimum, combined with individual bird personalities. Too much stress brings out the worst in all of us.