Feather picking only on the feather footed girl

[kittyacid]

I have eight 13 week old chicks and the bantam brahma has constantly started picking at the feathers on the standard cochin's feet. I only noticed the behavior yesterday because the brahma seemed obsessed with picking. It may have been going on a little while longer as I have noticed the cochin sitting down more than the others and in my ignorance though that her feet had not fully feathered in. In fact, it seems that the feathers have been pecked off as she is missing more than last week.

They are in a 100 square foot run and I have added more protein to their diet. Should I isolate the brahama and hope that it will break her of the behavior? Would it help to trim the feathers from the cochin's feet? What should I do?? I plan to integrate the chicks with my four adult hens this weekend and that will give a total of 500 square feet of space for the 12 of them.

Thanks for any advice!!!!

 

[roosters4sale]

I think she is just really curious, like all chickens , anything close to the ground that moves is mistaken for food . Cochin lovers may not agree but, maybe you should trim her. And when the brahmas feet feather out more maybe she won,t be as curious about other feathered feet.

 

[JLS]

At that age they are very curious and get bored easily. Once the habit begins it is hard to break. My youngsters were doing it to each other's tail feathers. While the unsuspecting bird was roosting, they would sneak up and yank out a feather!

Added protein is good as well as Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS). I read on here a thread explaining why it helps. Also keep them busy. If not they will entertain themselves at each other's expense. Hope you solve your problem soon! Oh, I am not sure if triming the cochins feet is nessesary? It would be my last choice to try.

 

[roosters4sale]

As, for isolation, I don,t like it. It only puts more distance between the two, and , that would be ok if you don't ever intend to put them back together.