Feather picking?

[Shamiira]

Hi! We are new to backyard chickens. We got 6 chickens about 4 weeks ago. 2 weeks in, 1 died. No idea why. She seemed very healthy doing all her Norma chicken things, and then was dead in the coop one morning. Almost a week ago, we got 2 more chickens. The oldest is about 5 months and the youngest are 3 months.

We have a golden laced Wyandotte, a silver laced Wyandotte, Copper Maran/whiting true blue, a Delaware, what looks like a splash australorp and 2 lavender Orpingtons. The 2 lavender Orpingtons are the newest.

Our coop is 24 sq ft with 9 feet of roosting bars. They spend zero time in there other than for sleeping. They have no interest otherwise. They wander and explore the backyard, which is about 50 x 100 feet, from 430 am - about 9 pm currently. I took away their nesting boxes early this week as they were always piling into 1 to sleep and had started fighting/arguing over it for at least 30 minutes each night since they no longer fit in 1 and no one wanted to give up their spot. They’ve still been arguing over that spot where the box was so I put them all on the roosting bars the last 2 nights and they finally stayed! There were less feathers in the morning and no arguing.

But, there’s a good amount of feathers in the yard again today after I cleaned them all up so that I could see how many were actually new. 2 chickens (the maran/whiting mix and the Delaware) that have no or almost no tail feathers. The maran/whiting mix has a bald spot on her chest as well. I hear occasional squawks but can never determine who is doing what.

I give them kitchen scraps (bok choy, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, etc) but they aren’t super interested. I give them a couple handfuls of black soldier fly larvae each day and they are eating Scratch and Peck brand grower feed currently. They have grit and oyster shell in separate bowls as they want.

I’ve checked them many times and am not finding any bugs or anything on them. We do have 2 dogs and a cat. 1 dog and the cat ignore them. The other dog likes them all to be together (she’s a border collie) so she likes to circle them up but is otherwise very good!

I don’t know what to do. Why are there so many feathers everywhere? Any suggestions.

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC! Have you had a chance to just sit and watch them for some time first thing in the morning to see if there is any serious pecking going on?

 

[Shamiira]

Hello and Welcome to BYC! Have you had a chance to just sit and watch them for some time first thing in the morning to see if there is any serious pecking going on?

Honestly, no as that would be quite early haha. I have sat with them in the evenings and don’t see any of that. Just the occasional pecking and squawking.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Are the feathers you're finding matching these: "2 chickens (the maran/whiting mix and the Delaware) that have no or almost no tail feathers. The maran/whiting mix has a bald spot on her chest as well." I'm sure they're the once being "picked" on.
Where are you located?

Possible molting but more like feather pecking. It's also very possible the Maran/Whiting & Delaware are at the bottom of the pecking order so getting picked on. You added new chickens to your flock ... Did you intertgrate "see but no touch"? It's also very possible they are going thru the pecking order issues with the news one added.

Seems you're aware the 4sqft per in a coop, they do spend the night in there. I'm counting 7 pullets in your group ... You should have at least 2 nest boxes although they'll all probably wait their turn to lay in one. Give it a few more nights without the nest boxes in, then try placing is a block them off so they can't sleep in it. Nest boxes should be lower than the roost, chickens will roost higher for safety.

Stop ALL kitchen scraps, feeding only their feed. What's the percentage of protein in the feed? It's very possible they're eating more kitchen scraps than feed, their feed is a balanced meal (nutrients) the kitchen scraps are throwing off the nutrients of their feed. Feather pecking maybe caused by the need for more protein, which feathers are.

 

[Shamiira]

Are the feathers you're finding matching these: "2 chickens (the maran/whiting mix and the Delaware) that have no or almost no tail feathers. The maran/whiting mix has a bald spot on her chest as well." I'm sure they're the once being "picked" on.
Where are you located?

Possible molting but more like feather pecking. It's also very possible the Maran/Whiting & Delaware are at the bottom of the pecking order so getting picked on. You added new chickens to your flock ... Did you intertgrate "see but no touch"? It's also very possible they are going thru the pecking order issues with the news one added.

Seems you're aware the 4sqft per in a coop, they do spend the night in there. I'm counting 7 pullets in your group ... You should have at least 2 nest boxes although they'll all probably wait their turn to lay in one. Give it a few more nights without the nest boxes in, then try placing is a block them off so they can't sleep in it. Nest boxes should be lower than the roost, chickens will roost higher for safety.

Stop ALL kitchen scraps, feeding only their feed. What's the percentage of protein in the feed? It's very possible they're eating more kitchen scraps than feed, their feed is a balanced meal (nutrients) the kitchen scraps are throwing off the nutrients of their feed. Feather pecking maybe caused by the need for more protein, which feathers are.

The feather appear to be from all. We have all the colors in pretty equal amounts. Do they molt this early? I was reading that doesn’t happen til after a year and the oldest is 5 months?

It could def be pecking order but I wasn’t sure or how long that lasts. We’re in Spokane, WA. The Delaware was the boss until the one died and now I think the splash australorp is trying to be, but not sure.

We did see but no touch for only a couple days. No one seemed to be too bothered. They’ve been loose and sleeping with the others for 3 days so far. They don’t get chased away from food or water but some social spaces still, although that decreases each day. They are still very much a group of 2 and a group of 5.

We had 5 nesting boxes and they were floor level. So sounds like that and the coop are pretty good! I can def try adding the nesting boxes back after a bit. No one is laying yet so not a huge issue.

Protein in their feed is 17%. They really don’t touch much of the kitchen scraps. The dogs go out and eat it after several hours haha. I don’t see them eat the feather although it could totally happen when I’m not out there. I spend about an hour morning and evening and another hour throughout the day with them. Weekends is more of course.

I appreciate all the questions and information!! Thank you!! Maybe I just worry too much and just need to give them more time.

 

[Shamiira]

I did just find this information though: Generally complete moulting occurs from 1-6 weeks and partial moulting at 7-9 weeks, 12-16 weeks and 20-22 weeks, and during this latter moult the stiff tail feathers are grown.

Maybe I was using the wrong search terms and most of it is molt with some pecking order going on too?

 

[aart]

I did just find this information though: Generally complete moulting occurs from 1-6 weeks and partial moulting at 7-9 weeks, 12-16 weeks and 20-22 weeks, and during this latter moult the stiff tail feathers are grown.

Maybe I was using the wrong search terms and most of it is molt with some pecking order going on too?

Good Job!

 

[Shamiira]

Good Job!

thank you!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile we can give better-targeted advice for many questions because climate matters.

How old are your chickens?

Youngsters go through several juvenile molts. Older birds *may* molt from stress if moved from one flock to another (not always, but possible).

Have you checked them for mites/lice?

Mites, Lice and Fleas, Dealing with External Parasites​

 

[Shamiira]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile we can give better-targeted advice for many questions because climate matters.

How old are your chickens?

Youngsters go through several juvenile molts. Older birds *may* molt from stress if moved from one flock to another (not always, but possible).

Have you checked them for mites/lice?

Mites, Lice and Fleas, Dealing with External Parasites​

We’re in Spokane, WA!
We have 12-22 week old hens.
I have checked for external parasites multiple times and never find anything. Which is good!

I am beginning to think it’s juvenile molting. I’ve been watching them more closing and am not really seeing any behavior causing it.

Thank you!!