Feather picking?

[Chickens are the best]

My barred rock Meenie is picking the other hens feathers. It started just being a couple of feathers on the neck, but now they all have bare backs. I'm pretty sure that she's doing it at night on the roosting bars. Is there anything I can put on their backs and necks to stop this? What can I provide in their diet to increase protein? ( Right now they are being feed layer pellets)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A quick fix is some canned fish or meat scraps. You could get some cheap cuts of meat like kidney or liver, cook it up so it is easier to dice.
Also, eliminate any non-protein treats like scratch, fruits, veggies, etc.. Layer is only 16% protein so anything other than animal protein will lower the crude protein content of the feed.
When it is at night, it is usually the need for more protein. Eventually it leads to cannibalism.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My barred rock Meenie is picking the other hens feathers. It started just being a couple of feathers on the neck, but now they all have bare backs. I'm pretty sure that she's doing it at night on the roosting bars. Is there anything I can put on their backs and necks to stop this? What can I provide in their diet to increase protein? ( Right now they are being feed layer pellets)

How old is Meenie? Do you have some photos of Meenie, the feather damage on the other hens and of your coop/run setup?

I agree with @ChickenCanoe about increasing protein. One cause of feather picking is lack of protein.

Another cause can be lack of space - if she is doing this at night while roosting - consider adding more roosting bars if possible.

Look forward to your photos, maybe these will give us better information and we can add more suggestions.

 

[Welshies]

Usually, lay feed is not suggested. It might be advertised as laying feed, but it doesn't do much except overcharge for a little bit of added calcium. Lay feed often lacks in protein. It can cause liver damage and calcium overdose, as well as delayed development, in non-laying birds including roosters, non-laying hens, and birds under laying age.
I would suggest you switch to an 18-22% all flock or maintenance feed. If you can't find that, grower feed might be a consideration for you. Free-choice oyster shell will provide the calcium your laying hens need. They will eat it as needed.
Diet aside, another cause of feather picking can be overcrowding or boredom.
If it's overcrowding, measure your square footage in your coop as well as your roost space. Birds need 4 square feet of space per bird in the coop, and 10" of roost space per bird.
If boredom, let your birds out during the day. They could need to get out if they are locked up.

 

[Chickens are the best]

How old is Meenie? Do you have some photos of Meenie, the feather damage on the other hens and of your coop/run setup?

I agree with @ChickenCanoe about increasing protein. One cause of feather picking is lack of protein.

Another cause can be lack of space - if she is doing this at night while roosting - consider adding more roosting bars if possible.

Look forward to your photos, maybe these will give us better information and we can add more suggestions.

I believe that all of them are about 10 months, give or take. Do you have any suggestions to increase their protein? I gave them some sunflower seeds today.

(do you see how she scrunches down and spreads her wings out in the bottom picture? Do you know why they do that?)

I'll try to take a better picture of meenie tomorrow, but she is the back chicken.

Here is their coop. During the day I sometimes let them out in the yard but the neighbors like to let their dogs out all day and they like to come up and torment my chickens.

their roost actually has room for 1-2 more chickens on the other side of the speckled chicken.

Thank you so much for trying to help!

 

[Welshies]

I believe that all of them are about 10 months, give or take. Do you have any suggestions to increase their protein? I gave them some sunflower seeds today. View attachment 1237275 View attachment 1237281 (do you see how she scrunches down and spreads her wings out in the bottom picture? Do you know why they do that?)

View attachment 1237442
I'll try to take a better picture of meenie tomorrow, but she is the back chicken.

View attachment 1237443
Here is their coop. During the day I sometimes let them out in the yard but the neighbors like to let their dogs out all day and they like to come up and torment my chickens.

View attachment 1237447 their roost actually has room for 1-2 more chickens on the other side of the speckled chicken.

Thank you so much for trying to help!

Seems like feather picking for sure.
Increase protein by switching to an 18-22% feed. Make sure you aren't feeding treats too often. Treats include table scraps. Treats should only comprise 10% or less of the total diet.
Your roosts don't look like they have enough room at all, honestly.

 

[Chickens are the best]

Seems like feather picking for sure.
Increase protein by switching to an 18-22% feed. Make sure you aren't feeding treats too often. Treats include table scraps. Treats should only comprise 10% or less of the total diet.
Your roosts don't look like they have enough room at all, honestly.

Ok, thank you! Are there any treats that are a good protein boosters? I'll see about adding another roosting bar, but I don't know if my dad will go for it. Can you get the 18-22% feed at any farm store? Is it more expensive than the layer?

 

[Welshies]

Ok, thank you! Are there any treats that are a good protein boosters? I'll see about adding another roosting bar, but I don't know if my dad will go for it. Can you get the 18-22% feed at any farm store? Is it more expensive than the layer?

18-22% feed can be found at any store. Grower, maintenance, or all flock feed will be your best bet. Layer is more expensive than other feeds.
Cut back on the treats- adding more treats will only decrease your dietary protein contents.

 

[micstrachan]

Hello. I have a brown leghorn who looked exactly like that just a month or so ago… My black Austrolorp was picking her back feathers. This went on for several months. I put on an apron/saddle and her feathers would grow back in, but the very day I took the saddle off, the australorp would pluck them back off. I recently switched to a 22% grower feed, and her feathers have grown back. I don’t know hundred percent for sure that that is the reason, but it’s an awfully big coincidence that the feather picking that went on for several months stopped exactly at the same time I switched the feed. I would go to a higher protein feed. In the meantime, scrambled eggs, canned tuna, and live mealworms are wonderful protein treats. Good luck!

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, and, I forgot to mention… The squatting and spreading the wings is a submissive posture. If the hen is doing it to you, it’s kind of like you’re her rooster and she’s ready to mate. If she’s doing it to the plucking hen, it’s just a submissive thing.