Feather plucking 4 week old chick!

[chickens really]

Nothing will make her stop plucking her feathers? I don’t want to get rid of one but I also don’t want anyone to be stressed either. It’s only been a few days. Could moving them to the coop possible help?

Yes...Get them moved and see

 

[Katlinalyssa]

Okay. I have the plucker separated for the night. Should I try the blu kote on her also before I put them out?

 

[chickens really]

Okay. I have the plucker separated for the night. Should I try the blu kote on her also before I put them out?

No....

 

[Fishkeeper]

Blu kote should be used if you see blood, to prevent chickens from seeing and targeting blood. It doesn't do anything but hide blood, it won't stop picking, but if there's blood it's a good idea.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Also I have 4 chicks total. So when I separated them I did it in groups of 2 so they wouldn’t be lonely. I’ve only had them since Saturday. And this behavior started on Monday.

Instead of separating them into groups of two, why don’t you just tape up a piece of hardware cloth and let the feather picker be on one side? It might just take a few days or a week until her behavior changes.They will still be able to snuggle up together if you put the light above the center of the hardware cloth.

 

[Katlinalyssa]

Blu kote should be used if you see blood, to prevent chickens from seeing and targeting blood. It doesn't do anything but hide blood, it won't stop picking, but if there's blood it's a good idea.

There is a little blood stuck to the hard parts of the feather that wouldn’t wash off in the bath. The other two chicks didn’t bother with her after I sprayed the peck no more on her. And she was cleaning herself up so it’s not super visible.

 

[Katlinalyssa]

Instead of separating them into groups of two, why don’t you just tape up a piece of hardware cloth and let the feather picker be on one side? It might just take a few days or a week until her behavior changes.They will still be able to snuggle up together if you put the light above the center of the hardware cloth.

In the coop? I’m going to put them out there tomorrow. I just am unsure about the amount of feathers the white Silkie has. But I can bring them in at night still.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

In the coop? I’m going to put them out there tomorrow. I just am unsure about the amount of feathers the white Silkie has. But I can bring them in at night still.

In the brooder. I thought you said they get along fine when they are outside?

 

[Katlinalyssa]

In the brooder. I thought you said they get along fine when they are outside?

Only if the door of the coop run is open. It’s so strange. As soon as they are confined she starts plucking.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Only if the door of the coop run is open. It’s so strange. As soon as they are confined she starts plucking.

Strange, that sort of sounds like a stress or anxiety response. Is the space too small for four chickens? How big is the space?