Feather picking/Pecking

[MrChickenGuy]

My speckled sussex started losing feathers months ago. I separated her from the flock and treated her for possible mites/lice. After her feathers came back and upon integrating her back in with the flock my fears have been reassured. They have picked her clean again within three weeks. I don't want to keep putting her under the stress so for now I will separate her and when she goes back I will try Pine Tar to prevent the pecking and peepers if necessary.

 

[aart]

How old is the bird that lost her feathers?

Integrating a single bird can be difficult....you may need to separate her again and put a more docile member of the flock in with her, then maybe add a couple more so they can form a group that will be more easily integrated back into the flock.

Might also need to look at the 'big picture' ....assessing space and diet.

 

[chickens really]

As aart said.....Plus what breeds do you have in your flock...Nutrition plays a big part also...I can say if the peckers are Red birds? That could be your problem...RIR or even White Leghorns do not do well in mixed flocks because of feather colour...I know because it happened to me in the past...

 

[aart]

As aart said.....Plus what breeds do you have in your flock...Nutrition plays a big part also...I can say if the peckers are Red birds? That could be your problem...RIR or even White Leghorns do not do well in mixed flocks because of feather colour...I know because it happened to me in the past...

A propensity to violence can be a genetic thing, but cannot reasonably be pinned down to cartain breed(s) in general.

 

[MrChickenGuy]

How old is the bird that lost her feathers?

Integrating a single bird can be difficult....you may need to separate her again and put a more docile member of the flock in with her, then maybe add a couple more so they can form a group that will be more easily integrated back into the flock.

Might also need to look at the 'big picture' ....assessing space and diet.

The first time that I had to separate and "re-integrate" her with the flock I put her with my dominique as she is the most docile chicken I own and doesn't peck her. It started with my barred rock pecking and now the others have joined in. I have one Black Australorp and one Buff Orpington as well. I cannot identify two of the chickens I own because the hatchery gave them to me as "bonus chicks" with the rest. However those two are the most aggresive second only to my barred rock.

 

[MrChickenGuy]

She is a little over a year old. I couldn't put the blame on molting though because the security camera I have on the run shows them pecking her pretty aggresively.They spend most of their day free ranging so im thinking either boredom or nutrition as a cause. For now she'll stay with my dominique until she heals.

 

[aart]

She is a little over a year old. I couldn't put the blame on molting though because the security camera I have on the run shows them pecking her pretty aggresively.They spend most of their day free ranging so im thinking either boredom or nutrition as a cause. For now she'll stay with my dominique until she heals.

How big is their coop...and how many chicken total?
What and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[MrChickenGuy]

How big is their coop...and how many chicken total?
What and how exactly are you feeding?

I have 7 chickens total. The coop is 18 sq feet. The run is 80 sq feet. They have three feeding containers and their main diet is manna pro all flock feed. The rest of their diet consists of forage, mixed greens, seasonal vegetables(watermelon in the summer, pumpkin in the fall...etc.), and scratch grains.

 

[MrChickenGuy]

I should also add that she has a birth defect of the feet. Her side toes are curved to the side. Thought maybe it was crooked toe but after a vet visit and some internet research found out that it wasn't. The vet said that as long as she doesn't seem to be in pain and she can do her daily activities then her only problem might be getting singled out as they got older. Thats where im at now.

 

[aart]

Quote:

I should also add that she has a birth defect of the feet. Her side toes are curved to the side. Thought maybe it was crooked toe but after a vet visit and some internet research found out that it wasn't. The vet said that as long as she doesn't seem to be in pain and she can do her daily activities then her only problem might be getting singled out as they got older. Thats where im at now.

Can't find the details on the "manna pro all flock feed"....tight coop space, so crowding could be part of the issue....her handicap could also be part of the issue.