Feather plucking

[tn_artist]

What causes chickens to pull each other's feathers out? How can I get them to stop? One pen has several that are missing their tails and a good bit of their back feathers. It's not just one bird doing it. I have witnessed several. Please help. They look terrible and it certainly can't be fun for them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Possible causes: crowding, boredom, protein deficiency...

How many birds do you have, and how large is their set up and what's in it? What are you feeding them?

 

[tn_artist]

Possible causes: crowding, boredom, protein deficiency...

How many birds do you have, and how large is their set up and what's in it? What are you feeding them?

I have 14 bantams and 8 standards. The pen is 20'x12' and they are let out to the yard every other day. The other pen alternated with them. They are on grower crumbles in the feeder, scratch the feed on the ground for foraging when they aren't outside and the occasional meal work treat. They are 20-22 weeks. No one is laying yet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Space sounds good and feed probably as well. Is the run just an empty space or is there stuff for them to interact with in there?

It might also be a bad habit that one bird started and others picked up on. Pinless peepers might be an option to try if you can identify which birds are the culprits.

 

[Patch6713]

I had an issue of one of my birds pulling out her own feathers. We added in an old Gatorade bottle with holes in it that we put scratch in for them to kick around. We also added in some more roosting bars around the run for them to hang out on or escape the others if needed. This seemed to help the feather picking

 

[Folly's place]

Agree with everything already mentioned.
What breeds? In my experience, production reds of any sort, including hatchery RIRs, are feather pecking problem birds. If you can ID any problem individuals, either eliminate them from your flock, or at least try the pinless peepers.
Mary

 

[tn_artist]

We have d'Uccles, EE, seabrights, Polish, Cochins,a few OEGB and a Dixie rainbow roo is the boss. I have seen the seabright roo pick down from am EE's backside, the boss roo hold down a Polish and pluck his head feathers once, but the Polish and Millie Fleur have no tails and the Cochins and no tail or back feathers. They have plenty of roosts and some of the bantams roost in the rafters. Right now they are enjoying the yard, but that seabright seems to prefer EE down. I think several of them are doing the picking.

 

[Folly's place]

It's likely that the birds who look best are the culprits, although some mutual feather picking could be happening too.
Mary

 

[Thesweetbirdsflock]

1-Overcrowded
2-Boredom
3-Re-asserting pecking order

1-Give them more space

2-Give them something to do. I’ve found that parakeet treats are great little toys along with attaching a cabbage to a string and hanging from the ceiling.

3-Nothing you can do, just ride it out. Watching the pecking order being re-asserted is misery.

There is a thing called Blue Kote that I mix with Vetricine (spray version) and put it in a spray bottle and you can spray it on the picked at spots on your hurt chicken. The Blue Kote is a purplish spray that will dye the feathers and the color makes the other chickens disinterested in pecking them. The Vetricine helps the cuts heal.
Hint, it’s best to have two people. One to hold the chicken, and one to spray it! lol