- Jul 28, 2014
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Hi everyone,
One of my EE girls started feather picking about 6 months ago. For awhile it was just her own back and was limited, so I let it go. Now she's started picking at her "mate", the new alpha hen, another EE. They are inseparable, and I have watched several times now while Sybil (the pickee) sits down on the ground and lets Winnie (the picker) go at her back. It's almost like she likes it, and at first (before I realized what was going on), I thought it was an act of affection. Now both hens look really rough.
I first tried supplementing their diet with more protein, but it didn't make a difference. Right now both girls are wearing capes. Is there a way to stop this behavior altogether?
We had a predator attack three weeks ago, and both my former alpha and beta hens were killed in front of the other girls by either a fox or coyote. I know they are stressed, and my RIR has even stopped laying and has attacked me a few times. I think the picking is worse because of the stress.
Any advice would be helpful, thank you! Both of these girls have such pretty feathers, it's awful to see them so raggedy.
Also-- do I need to pull out the broken feathers so that new ones grow in?
Thank you!
p.s. The culprit is in the background and Sybil (the pickee) in front.
One of my EE girls started feather picking about 6 months ago. For awhile it was just her own back and was limited, so I let it go. Now she's started picking at her "mate", the new alpha hen, another EE. They are inseparable, and I have watched several times now while Sybil (the pickee) sits down on the ground and lets Winnie (the picker) go at her back. It's almost like she likes it, and at first (before I realized what was going on), I thought it was an act of affection. Now both hens look really rough.
I first tried supplementing their diet with more protein, but it didn't make a difference. Right now both girls are wearing capes. Is there a way to stop this behavior altogether?
We had a predator attack three weeks ago, and both my former alpha and beta hens were killed in front of the other girls by either a fox or coyote. I know they are stressed, and my RIR has even stopped laying and has attacked me a few times. I think the picking is worse because of the stress.
Any advice would be helpful, thank you! Both of these girls have such pretty feathers, it's awful to see them so raggedy.
Also-- do I need to pull out the broken feathers so that new ones grow in?
Thank you!
p.s. The culprit is in the background and Sybil (the pickee) in front.
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