feather plucking

[SewingDiva]

I had this problem recently and a combination of as much winter free ranging as we could manage, fresh greens every day, dry kitten chow for protein and Avia Charge in their water seems to be working.

From the research I did there can be many, often overlapping, causes behind feather eating and/or picking (environment, behavior, diet) and you need to be systematic about trying to figure out the how to stop it.

It needs to be addressed immediately before it becomes ingrained in bird(s) doing it.

Phyllis

 

[ruth]

Quote:
You're not the only one having cannibalism issues right now. I've seen several threads with the same problem. In just about every case, the chickens were free ranging but have been cooped up all winter. That's the worst possible scenario. Chickens that have known freedome are now confined and they start eating one another alive. Let them out - the cold will not kill them - they can go back in coop if they get too cold.

 

[SandraChick]

First, I agree with letting them out in the cold. You can add some corn to their diet if it's really cold as it is considered a "hot" feed.

You may also want to give them some sunflower seeds. It has a compound in it (name is melathine, or something like that) which is not found very much in nature and it is found in sunflower seeds. I just feed my chickens the black oil sunflower seeds WHOLE. This compound is necessary for good feather growth, so chickens will eat feathers to get it, if they can't get it otherwise.


I do think that being couped up after being out in the range could have a lot to do with your feather picking.

If you are feeding your chickens cat food, please do so only short term. It has too much selenium for birds in it.

Good Luck!
Sandra

 

[luv2fish62]

I have 3 black Astrolopes hens and one picks feathers off her back all the time and the other ones have feathers missing from the head and butt. The one has a back that is red and the feathers are not growing back. Please help anyone.

 

[KrupkaRanch]

Watch your chickens carefully for the next few days, since feathers pulled from the vent area are the first sign of cannibalism. If you see any blood, isolate the injured chicken before she is eaten.

Chickens pluck feathers and cannibalize one another for various reasons.

1. Not enough protein in the diet. If chickens are fed corn or scratch and not a balanced feed they can start cannibalizing other chickens.

2. Boredom. Especially in the winter, when they are "cooped up" and get stir-crazy.

3. Diseases, parasites, etc.

4. Who knows? They like to pick on one another.

Good Luck!

This was very helpful! I am having this problem I don't have a place to isolate my poor hen though. Her whole butt is bare, I haven't noticed this until today.