Feather picking

[Saroco]

My White Plymouth Rock has started picking out the other chicken's feathers!! What do I do?! How do I break that habit? My SLW only has a few tail feathers left, and Flo (Feather picker) picks out her leg feathers when she's taking a dust bath....

Do I have to get rid of her?

 

[Judy]

Too little space, too little protein, and boredom are generally the causes of feather picking. Boredom comes from too little space.

 

[Saroco]

Ok. What can I give them So they won't be bored? (Space is not the problem)

 

[farmerChef]

Try hanging a head of cabbage in the pen

 

[sotelomary]

I had the same problem. I upped their protein. Mine wouldn't take cat food so I started mixing 20% feed with my current 16% feed. (50 - 50 ratio) This brought up the protein to 18%. It stopped the feather picking.

Mary

 

[Saroco]

Thank you so much!

What if I whipped a few eggs so they can't recognize them, and fed them that? Would that be enough protein?

 

[tennesseeckn]

Eggs would help or tuna would, too. Just make sure to not give so much that it flavors the eggs.

 

[Saroco]

Haha!! Thanks for the warning!! Hmmm....however, I could sell tuna-garlic flavored eggs....