HELP! Feather pecking!!

[crazychick5]

Hi I'm fairly new to chickens I've nearly had mine for a month. I have 8 hens - 2 bluebells, 2 silkies, 2 white Sussex and 2 hybrids. They have layers pellets mixed with black oil sunflower seeds available at all times. And I use supplements such as apple cider vinegar, garlic granules and seaweed. They have oyster shell available as well. Some of them have just started laying eggs. I have noticed recently that one of my hybrids has started to peck the other chickens to get there feathers and then she eats the feathers! I know this can cause a serious problem if I let her continue with this behaviour as it will become a very bad habit. I have read about spraying the affected area with anti feather pecking spray but I noticed that she doesn't just peck a certain area on a certain bird she just goes for any area she can grab a feather from and grabs it from any bird. So what can I do? she is a very friendly chicken to people and the other birds most of the time but I don't want to have to get rid of her. I have told her off every time I see her doing it but she still does it. Do you think she is bored? There coop is a converted shed of 8x6 foot and there run is 21foot long and 7.5 foot wide not including the length of the coop which is in the run. They have space to run and lots of ground to dig in and dust bath plus perches inside and outside of the coop. They did have grass in the run but they ate/ruined it all, do they need more grass to peck at ? I do bring grass for them at times but I heard it can cause a blockage in the crop. Please help I don't know what to do

 

[aart]

Give them some animal protein.....or switch to a higher protein feed, preferably one with animal protein in it.
Eating feathers(almost 100% protein) is telling you something pretty specific.

I'd cut out the BOSS, except as an occasional treat(less than 10% of daily feed volume).

New layers can be touchy, goofy girls, the pecking order can shift a bit and they are all raging with hormones.
That might be part of it too.




I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and all molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.