Feather Picking

[MissAli]

One of our RIR, Cleo, has decided she wants to pluck the feathers off the rump of our EE, Lady. We have 4 chickens and Cleo seems to leave everyone else alone. Odd part is that up until recently we would have said Lady was at the top of the pecking order...now not so much. They will just be hanging out and then I'll see Cleo start to eyeball lady's back and pluck pluck. Just so casually.

Any thoughts/ suggestions?

Poor Lady's rump is going to go bare if we don't get Cleo to leave her alone soon.

 

[Judy]

I think usually this starts because they are bored, because they are in a small pen instead of enough space to have forage available. The solution is usually more space, hopefully with forage available. If their diet is deficient in protein, it can also cause this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517547/peepers-removed-and-no-feather-picking-d/0_20#post_6586027

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697052/i-think-i-found-a-miracle-cure-for-feather-picking/0_20

 

[cverba]

I have a RIR named Cleo too!

She had dark eye stripes as a chick, thus Cleopatra.

 

[cverba]

Oh yeah, and blue cote will help that. Little Red wanted to help the polish by preening a bit too much. That helped.