Feather picking...HELP!!

[teach1rusl]

Most of your breeds are known to be fairly calm and easy going

My wyandotte is a bit grump, but I'm not sure if that's the way most of them are.
Who knows? It may just be a chemistry thing with your flock. I'd spend some time this weekend observing them. See if you can pin-point a bird or two, or see whether everyone acts that way. If it's everyone, you may need more space by next winter.
Remember, all flocks are different - some do okay with less space while others need more. I went from over 9 sq. ft. each of indoor space last winter to just under 7 sq. ft. this winter. And although I haven't seen any serious issues, I could tell that my birds were getting on one another nerves a bit more this winter. Since they've been able to get out and about more, they act nicer toward one another, less squabbling at roost time, etc. So space definitely plays a role with how flock memebers treat one another.
But it could be other factors that you haven't discovered yet. Watch them this weekend and see if anything stands out to you.

 

[JLS]

When they grab each other's feathers the victim screaches and then there's a feeding frenzie over the plucked out feathers! Any new feathers that are growing in are plucked out like it's candy. That I understand, since there's a blood source to the new feather which is very tasty to chickens.

Ever since the SLW's were very young they have a tendancy to jump up and rip out feathers of an unsuspecting roosting bird (I have several low roosts as well as several higher roosts). I had hoped that I had the perfect bird/sq ft ratio.

 

[YYZ]

My wyandotte hens are really friendly. One actually flew up to my shoulder.

I have one odd ball hen tho...A Barred rock...and that poor hen get pushed around abit. Probably cuz she's different?? They dont hert her..just pester her.

 

[Patchesnposies]

This is totally a "country" remedy but it was recommended to me and I tried it with great success. Nail salt pork or suet to a tree or the coop and let them jump up and peck at that. I hesitated to recommend it at first. When we tried it I was leery because of all of the salt...but it did work.

 

[plantmgr]

I have 21 - 8 mo old EE pullet/hens and one rooster. Most of the girls have their beards plucked out. I assumed it was the rooster because he is pretty rough. I thought it was strange since it was front feathers, but sometimes he yanks them around so he can catch them. (He doesn't care at all about their opinions) I've never seen any of them plucking each other - I never even thought about that. I've been letting them out of their pen in the evenings since the weather warmed up to free range. Hopefully the feathers will come back in. It's very unattractive. I just thought it was weird that it's only some of them. I thought maybe the rooster just had favorites. I'm going to try the suet ball.