Feather Plucking--grrrrrr

[Bravo]

I know there are other topics on this but I think my post is more therapeutic than anything.

My girls keep plucking feathers off each other and its driving me nuts. I've done everything and nothing seems to work (short of strangling the instigator...who has ALL of her feathers...but happens to be my favorite PET girl). They have tons of room in their coop and run, a flock block, a hanging lettuce toy my husband made them for boredom, roosting poles galore at various heights, high protein layer pellets (21%) and they are still feather plucking! One of my BA's looks like she got attacked by the lawnmower!

I've tried BlueKoat and that nasty menthol Rooster Booster balm to stop feather plucking...the lady at the feed store suggested I just eat the culprit and get it over with lol.

Any other ideas?????

To add insult to injury my 2 week olds are also doing this to each other. I have 16 set up in a 4x8 run in the coop again with roosting poles and they like to peck each other until they bleed.

Do I just have deranged chickens?

 

[arn]

We put 5 young chicks,six weeks old ,in with an older hen. She is very mean to the young ones and has pecked one of them bald. Is there any way to help stop this.

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
It is simple, you dont put young chicks in with an older hen. You are lucky she didnt kill them. Separate them immediatley IMHO.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I feel your pain. I have a BA who torments my lowest hen, breaking off her neck feathers. She doesn't eat them, just jumps on the hen and grabs her feathers and twists with her beak. The lowest hen has become sort of terrified and skittish. They free-range, eat great organic feed, oyster shell, extra protein treats, etc. I've actually put the BA into a day time-out by locking her in the run for the day, while the rest enjoyed a nice relaxing free-range. She makes me SO mad, but she's my best layer.

BluKote & the Pick-no-more RB lotion haven't worked. Actually, Blu Kote worked a little better than the RB, but the poor girl had a stained purple neck, which she tried to groom away.

 

[Momo]

try pinless peepers

 

[Swampwood]

Try a shock collar??

Sorry, I'm too new to give good advice yet

 

[azygous]

I've had the plucking/picking problem, and tried all the goopy, purple, greasy remedies. Finally, after the bottom-of-the-pecking-order pullet was picked totally bald on her back, I got out the sewing machine and whipped her up a saddle/apron. When I noticed her shoulders were also being picked raw, I took it off of her and added little shoulder ruffles to cover her bald spots on her wings.

She's been wearing it now for six weeks, and she dust bathes, lays, and still engages in low formation flight, and the feathers are beginning to grow back. It also protects her from sunburn which was also becoming a problem.

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
What a great idea. Where do I buy something like this? Also, any ideas for the neck area....tube sock, maybe? j/k!

Also, what are pinless peepers and where can I buy them?

Thanks all!