HELP!!! Eating feathers

[Jurassic Wolf]

One chicken has been separated from the other 2 for the last 3 weeks. we started letting them play together during yard time, and she is still going after one of them, pulling their feathers out, and eating it. WHY IS SHE EATING THE FEATHER!!!!!?????

 

[Aquatic_blue]

My chickens do this sometimes. Some say it is totally normal for them to do. Others say they need more protein. I haven't noticed my chickens pecking and eating feathers off each other since I have been giving them dried soldier fly larvae.

 

[WallyBirdie]

One chicken has been separated from the other 2 for the last 3 weeks. we started letting them play together during yard time, and she is still going after one of them, pulling their feathers out, and eating it. WHY IS SHE EATING THE FEATHER!!!!!?????

It happens for many reasons. Playing, pecking order, protein, or even fascination.
Might even be the breed or feather pattern.

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

Ok but the chicken has bare patches, and occasionally starts bleeding from this. How can I stop it?

 

[WallyBirdie]

Ok but the chicken has bare patches, and occasionally starts bleeding from this. How can I stop it?

What breed of bird(s) are involved?
Which one is getting its feathers eaten, and which one is doing it?
My Polish has been getting her feathers eaten, and I've only recently come across solutions.

There are ways to deter the picking. There is stuff like 'pick no more' and 'pine tar' that make the feathers taste bad, so they aren't eaten.
And, if there is a crest that is being eaten, like mine, possible hair nets or hair ties.

My problem.

My attempted solution.

 

[gtaus]

I have also read that eating feathers is often a sign of needing more protein in the diet. Maybe you could switch to a higher protein feed and have a side dish of calcium available if your hens are laying.

If you have a chicken that bleeds, the blood will only encourage more attacks on her. If it's just the one chicken that is pulling feathers/attacking the other hens, then I would continue to keep her separated from the other birds.

Finally, if it was my flock and I had one hen that was not fitting in with all the others, I would have to decide to cull that troublesome bird if I could not correct her behaviors. I would rather sacrifice one bird than to have the rest of the flock upset by her constant attacks.

Hope things work out for you.

 

[slordaz]

could be lack of protein, or if you have crested and non crested birds together , the non crested always go after the crested ones head crests, so not a good idea to mix the 2 types together

 

[Chickassan]

This is pretty much the only thing that works with Polish.
Good on you for figuring it out.

What breed of bird(s) are involved?
Which one is getting its feathers eaten, and which one is doing it?
My Polish has been getting her feathers eaten, and I've only recently come across solutions.

There are ways to deter the picking. There is stuff like 'pick no more' and 'pine tar' that make the feathers taste bad, so they aren't eaten.
And, if there is a crest that is being eaten, like mine, possible hair nets or hair ties.

My problem.View attachment 1925617

My attempted solution.
View attachment 1925618

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

A bigger bantam Brahma is picking the feathers of a slightly smaller bantam Brahma, but leaves the smaller bird, an EE alone. They're already getting feather fixer, which has more protein. Should I switch to a chick feed?

 

[WallyBirdie]

This is pretty much the only thing that works with Polish.
Good on you for figuring it out.

I had help from some good people on this site.
I don't have a permanent fix yet, but the suggestions have been helping. Hopes others with similar problems find working solutions too.