Feather Picking.

[PNW_Peepers]

Their run is 8x30 the coop is 8x10
I have four feeding stations throughout.
They have three roosts inside the coop and four roosts in the run.
They have a dust bath, and the run and coop are cleaned daily. I have 19 birds one is a young cockerel the rest are pullets.

 

[Hensndoes]

@PNW_Peepers just thought of you while at the farm store. They had mealworm blocks. 42% protein. I couldn't resist. I was a little creeped out when I put it in the run and saw movement in it. Chooks didn't mind.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My bantam coop is 8x10 and is crowded at 20 bantams so i like to keep it around 15. 19 large breed birds will be tight in your coop. You may have problems down the road especially in winter if you need to keep them confined.

I like to give my growing birds a daily helping of scrambled eggs. The adult birds go nuts over them too. Chickens need animal source protein whether bugs, eggs, feathers, or any other sources, so it may help to add something in. They are omnivores.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I have some dried black soldier fly larva on hand. Maybe a few boiled eggs and a sprinkling of them in the evening may help? I’m going to start free ranging a few hours before sundown to help up their bug intake, as well as the space and boredom issue. I’ll keep you all updated. So far today I’ve seen no feather picking, I suppose free ranging them last night may have helped.

 

[Hensndoes]

I work deep litter. Have you looked into that? I used to have to clean out the run and coop weekly. Now I can go many months. There is no odor and the chickens keep occupied. When I do clean it out, it goes straight on the gardens and my gardens look better than ever

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Thanks to all of your advice, the feather picking has stopped. I’ve been free ranging them every evening from 5-9, after they all go happily in the coop at night I feed them a couple boiled eggs and black soldier fly larva. Seems to have done the trick.