Feather pulling and protein question (Update on page 3)

[chickiegrrl]

I make them oatmeal almost every day, do you think if I put some salt in that it would help? I could put a pinch in.

I was looking at her more closely today. Where she's pulled the feathers, it looks like a hair was left for each feather. Is that part of the inside of the feather?

 

[cstronks]

I don't believe that hair is the inside of the feather, as a feather has a hard, clear stem. It could be some of the down which is on the skin of the birds.

Putting salt in that oatmeal will help, but the problem with putting it in there is that it will be available to all birds. Remedying one problem that way might lead to another. I would try and find a way to simply apply it to the affected bird. Keep researching feather pulling though, as salt seems to be more of a farmer's trick than a tested solution.

If you do indeed opt to try the salt, please post if it was successful. I would love to know!

 

[centrarchid]

Up protein in feed a bit by inclusion of a little starter diet. Consider addition of hay to provide a little mental distraction. The odd feed types like BOSS does help with latter but make so they have to scratch for it. I seldom see such with free-range birds but confined birds can be hard on themselves.

 

[chickiegrrl]

I just want to thank everyone for their responses. I really appreciate the support and suggestions. Poor Flora just looks a mess. I gave her a tablespoon of cat food today until I can get to the feed store to pick up some starter feed. I actually think this all started after we ran out of chick starter. I'd been mixing it with warm water for the girls in the morning, just to get rid of what we had left. Shortly after I went to oatmeal she started picking. Just a little bit at first, then more and more.

She ate the cat food with gusto. Tomorrow I'll try putting a tiny pinch of salt in with her oatmeal. Unfortunately I won't be able to tell if it's the salt or increased protein that works, but I want to try everything because I need this to stop before she gets a bigger bald patch. She won't do well when the temp swings below zero again if she's bare.

 

[chickiegrrl]

Up protein in feed a bit by inclusion of a little starter diet. Consider addition of hay to provide a little mental distraction. The odd feed types like BOSS does help with latter but make so they have to scratch for it. I seldom see such with free-range birds but confined birds can be hard on themselves.

I'm going to grab a bale of hay tomorrow and spread some of it in their run. Then they can pick the BOSS out from it. That's a great idea. They will have so much fun!

 

[Original Recipe]

Quote:
Thank you for posting this. I'm new to chickens as well and I didn't realize there would be molts this early. My girls are 15 weeks old and my coop and run have been covered with feathers for weeks. I really thought I had a feather pulling bully but have never seen anyone picking on anyone else. Didn't occur to me that a mini molt could be in progress.

 

[gander007]

I have a gander who has been doing this to himself for the last two years but always after he molts ......

gander007

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Thank you for posting this. I'm new to chickens as well and I didn't realize there would be molts this early. My girls are 15 weeks old and my coop and run have been covered with feathers for weeks. I really thought I had a feather pulling bully but have never seen anyone picking on anyone else. Didn't occur to me that a mini molt could be in progress.

Bondholders needs to clarify pattern of molting events as a function of age and season.

 

[LindaB220]

I make them oatmeal almost every day, do you think if I put some salt in that it would help? I could put a pinch in.

I was looking at her more closely today. Where she's pulled the feathers, it looks like a hair was left for each feather. Is that part of the inside of the feather?

The thing is all birds need salt. Just googled how much salt needed by chickens and found this .http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/nutrition-for-chickens/
Hope it works. It says .015% (table salt with iodine) added to feed. If you use different grains that is. It's probably already in formula bags. Check on them.

 

[centrarchid]

The thing is all birds need salt.  Just googled how much salt needed by chickens and found this       .http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/nutrition-for-chickens/
Hope it works.  It says .015% (table salt with iodine) added to feed.  If you use different grains that is.  It's probably already in formula bags.  Check on them. 

All things need salt yes. Not all need additional salt added to diet. Chickens are very good at extracting salt even from plant based foodstuffs and there is more than enough in animal for ages.