Feather picking-what to do?

[rosemarythyme]

She's panicking a bit- is that normal?

It's normal - even if the others are picking her feathers they're her flock and she wants to be with them. She should hopefully settle down after a bit.

 

[aart]

Hopefully she calms down soon.
Too bad you didn't grab some hanging bird cups for feed and water when you got the kennel(wire crate?).
They always step on the floor dishes and dump them
I use those cups with the wires bent a bit for a tighter fit and small nipple bottles for crates.

 

[aart]

What a pain for this to happen as you are getting ready to move!
Still might toss some stuff into the run for diversion...if it's easy.
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Is the coop and run ready at the new place?

 

[tweetzone86]

What a pain for this to happen as you are getting ready to move!
Still might toss some stuff into the run for diversion...if it's easy.
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Is the coop and run ready at the new place?

Erm, sorta...it's completely vacant land, already cleared. But we got a portable wood shed that we're going to be using for the coop 12x8 so they'll have to stay inside for a couple days while we get the run up.

 

[aart]

Erm, sorta...it's completely vacant land, already cleared. But we got a portable wood shed that we're going to be using for the coop 12x8 so they'll have to stay inside for a couple days while we get the run up.

The new place will likely 'distract' them from picking on each other.

Especially as we're moving on the 11th to our new property

Will they be delivering your house as well as the chickens house?

 

[tweetzone86]

The new place will likely 'distract' them from picking on each other.


Will they be delivering your house as well as the chickens house?

Delivering my house? We're building our house on the property and living in an rv on site while we build.

They delivered the shed to my current house (it's sitting in my driveway right now), and for a small fee they are going to deliver it to the new property on the 11th.

 

[tweetzone86]

The new place will likely 'distract' them from picking on each other.


Will they be delivering your house as well as the chickens house?

I also posted this morning-I found only 2 eggs out of 10 prolific 1 year old layers in the coop this morning, covered in egg yolk and a bit of shell a much lighter shade of brown (I get varying shades-hatchery stock), so now I may be dealing with egg-eating too??? I did notice their feed was moldy yesterday so picked up fresh feed, but it's 20% protein feed so I'm mystified now.

Could the feather-picking and the egg-eating be due to the mold? It's a big chunk I can see in the side of the clear feeder; I don't think hubby realized it was moldy when he dumped the bag into the bin a week or so ago. Could they be refusing to eat their feed, leading them to feather-pick and eat eggs too?

Either way, this is a huge issue now, because I have one bird getting majorly picked on by several others (saw multiple peck at her bare patches) and eggs disappearing without a trace (noticed my count decreasing, thought it was because 2 died), except a bunch of egg yolk all over the few that remained...

 

[aart]

Delivering my house? We're building our house on the property and living in an rv on site while we build.

I was being partially facetious.....wondering how you were moving to bare land in a week or so.

 

[tweetzone86]

I was being partially facetious.....wondering how you were moving to bare land in a week or so.

Ah. Yeah, we're living in a 30 foot rv trailer while we build, storing our stuff in a 40 foot shipping container on the property, and have a 8x12 foot barn shed for the chickens ready to go (that they're currently in right now).

 

[aart]

have a 8x12 foot barn shed for the chickens ready to go (that they're currently in right now).

Is the pecking still going on this new larger(?) chicken shed?