Feather plucking pecking

[PAUL31]

I’m sure that this has been asked a million times!! I’ve owned hens now for around 8 months. With no real issues plenty of eggs lots of dust baths.
Over the last few months I’ve seen an increased feather lost in all my hens mainly two of them have been plucked bare. I have tried to segregate the main culprit but that hasn’t stopped it. I’m now worried it’s something else I’ve checked the hens for mites and ticks but can’t see any the coup is cleaned once a week and sprayed with total mite disinfectant and dust. But I can’t seem to stop the feather loss. I’ve even tried anti pecking spray. I’m now desperate!!
We are still getting eggs every day

 

[sourland]

Do an on site search on 'Pin Less Peepers'. They can be affixed to the birds doing the feather plucking (generally those in good feather) and removed once all birds are refeathered.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also photos or a detailed description of your set up would help (# of birds, sq footage, clutter/obstacles present). As well as information about your feed (esp. protein %).

 

[Mrs. K]

Do this.

Do an on site search on 'Pin Less Peepers'. They can be affixed to the birds doing the feather plucking (generally those in good feather) and removed once all birds are refeathered.

 

[PAUL31]

Also photos or a detailed description of your set up would help (# of birds, sq footage, clutter/obstacles present). As well as information about your feed (esp. protein %).

Thanks for the advice I’ll get on to that and post the info once it’s stopped snowing

 

[PAUL31]

Thanks for the advice I’ll get on to that and post the info once it’s stopped snowing

Hi again I have measured the pen and coop the total pen area is 177 square feet give or take I only have 5 hens the coop is supposed to be suitable for 8 hens.

 

[aart]

once it’s stopped snowing

That coop is way small for 5 birds....especially if it's snowing and they want shelter.
But even for sleeping.
Run looks good, except is there winter weather protection not showing in these pics?

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[Mrs. K]

What is more than enough room for chicks, often becomes not enough room for full size birds. Do not add more birds to that coop as it is not big enough for 8 birds. Those often drastically overstate how many birds will live well in them.

The pin-less peepers may help, but also reducing the size of your flock to 2 -3 birds would work much better in that coop. Often times people think that more than adequate run space will compensate for too small of coop, or that being raised together will compensate for too small of coop, but the long nights of winter, poor winter weather will wind up with birds in that too small of coop for too long of periods and ugly habits will develop, such as you have.

One can cheat a bit on numbers in the summer with chicks, but not full sized birds. And sometimes when you get ugly habits, it can be darn hard to break them of it.

My recommendations are:

• pin-less peepers and a build a bigger coop
• or reduce the size of the flock, they are telling you that many birds do not fit in that coop

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree the coop is too tight, but run doesn't look bad, there's some obstacles in there at least. Try out the pinless peepers and see if that helps. I'd add some extra stuff for them to dig through too, whether it's a bag of bedding or straw/hay or dried leaves, for the chickens to dig through as it's good busy work for them.

 

[vickiwilson]

I’m sure that this has been asked a million times!! I’ve owned hens now for around 8 months. With no real issues plenty of eggs lots of dust baths.
Over the last few months I’ve seen an increased feather lost in all my hens mainly two of them have been plucked bare. I have tried to segregate the main culprit but that hasn’t stopped it. I’m now worried it’s something else I’ve checked the hens for mites and ticks but can’t see any the coup is cleaned once a week and sprayed with total mite disinfectant and dust. But I can’t seem to stop the feather loss. I’ve even tried anti pecking spray. I’m now desperate!!
We are still getting eggs every day

You have a bully or two. There is no real way to stop them from pecking once they start. I ordered Bumpa Bits for my hens ... problem solved!