Feather Picking

[lunaqueen]

Hello and thank you ahead of time for your help.

I have 11 Red Star Sex Links who are about 8 months old and have started feather picking. All of them (except for one) have feathers missing on their behinds, some on legs, some tail feathers. I have seen ones that have feathers missing picking others feathers.

This is what I've done so far: Avia Charge 2000 in water daily for past week; changed from pellets to mash (16% lay ration); provided extra protein daily from tuna or black sunflower seeds or hard boiled eggs or beef scraps.

I've increased their greens in their pens as well.

They free range in the backyard daily for 1-2 hours (this is their norm). Their coop and pen are open all day for them to roam.

I've applied Blue Kote to their backs and legs.

I've isolated one girl in a 30 x 30 rabbit cage in the coop. She has two areas they were open, but now scabbed. I let her out to free range with the others. Two others have exposed skin but no open areas.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I've read about giving them styrofoam, but only want to do that as my very very last option.

Can anyone help me to stop my girls from destroying one another? They are consistent mighty egg layers. I just love them.

Thank you!

 

[nursecat9]

I have a similiar thing happening. I decreased the light in their coop to 14 hours per day...I was leaving it on all night. I also put them back on grower feed which is 22% protein. I also got this stuff called Rooster Booster and I just put that on all the spots....boy they don't like it! Caught several pecking at someone, would get a bite of that stuff and shake their head, and wouldn't peck anymore! Hope this helps you as much as I hope it helps our problem too!

 

[lunaqueen]

Thank you for the info....are you using the Rooster Booster Pick No More Lotion or the Rooster Booster Black Salve?

 

[nursecat9]

It's the pick no more. We'll see how things go in the morning. They certainly didn't like it tonight though!

 

[lunaqueen]

Thanks, I'll try the pick no more. Does it seem to you they are picking more at night? The only time I see mine doing it is in the pen, when they are close together at the door, hoping for treats or to get out in the yard. I'm sure they are doing it other times though. I'm trying free range mine longer during the day now...but I have to watch and schoo these 2 cats that eye them over the fence regularly. Keep me posted on how your routine works?

 

[nursecat9]

I do see them do it more when they're in the coop vs outside. I've seen them do it alot when they're just dust bathing, laying beside each other, and 1 just leans over and picks a couple of feathers off. Sometimes, they'll both just lay there and never move, like nothing ever happened...?????

Crazy birds!