Feather picking

[bstala]

No rooster

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That looks like she's being pinned down and picked by dominant birds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Though the more I look the more it looks like a molt, how old are they

 

[bstala]

This happened last winter and it has not really gotten any better since...she has only grown a few pin feathers and when they do grow they get picked out the next day...there also has not been many pin feather growth because the feathers are broken at the base and not plucked out

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If it's only her you might want to separate he and give her a chance to grow in some feathers.

 

[bstala]

It's not only her,it is 3 out of 4 of them...I have seen all 4 peck at each other but one does not have any damage....one of them is just getting her pin feathers back

 

[bstala]

This is one of the other ones which is growing her feathers back

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They do appear to be molting, I'm thinking you need to get more protein in your hens, they appear to be sexlinks which lay like crazy, they are the only type that I have dealt with as far as feather picking, I believe they have a higher protein need than average hens, I would up the protein content of your ration as well as getting some boost of protein by feeding things like cottage cheese, eggs, meal worms, or canned tuna or other fish, they are eating each other's feathers for the protein, and if done enough over time the feathers can't grow in properly, you're stuck in a cycle.

 

[bstala]

Ok I will try some of those...I do give them meal worms regularly though

 

[bstala]

Thanks for the help! I will try some canned tuna tomorrow. Hopefully it will work!