HELP!!! FLOCK IN DANGER

[Grace8269]

I have 4 hens, one golden laced Wyandotte, one Rhode island red, and two Buff Orpingtons. Starting about a year ago, my golden laced Wyandotte, Flash, started picking feathers. She doesn't eat them, she just picks and pulls at them. They have over 80 sq ft of coop space and play with 1000s of sq ft during the day. There have been no new stresses towards them. I have researched why chickens will peck at feathers and every reason I can eliminate. Please help me! I do not want to get rid of Flash, she is part of the flock! Any advice whatsoever would be immensely helpful. If you want any more info please ask! THANK YOU!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you observing the picking and eating feathers or are you seeing feathers about?
What are you feeding them? Protein %?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What's their nutrition look like? What feed, treats, free range time?

 

[6BeachChicks]

Can you separate her in a dog crate away from the flock for a week? That will reset her place in the pecking order.

 

[Grace8269]

Are you observing the picking and eating feathers or are you seeing feathers about?
What are you feeding them? Protein %?

I am observing the feather picking. They are fed 16% protein in their feed.

 

[Grace8269]

Can you separate her in a dog crate away from the flock for a week? That will reset her place in the pecking order.

Since she has been doing this for a year, we have separated her before. And the behavior eventually just comes back. Also, I'm scared about doing this in the winter as where I live it gets very cold and the flock needs each other to stay warm. Should I just separate her periodically?

 

[6BeachChicks]

Since she has been doing this for a year, we have separated her before. And the behavior eventually just comes back. Also, I'm scared about doing this in the winter as where I live it gets very cold and the flock needs each other to stay warm. Should I just separate her periodically?

Ok, I should have guessed you tried that. Maybe try boredom busters?

 

[Grace8269]

What's their nutrition look like? What feed, treats, free range time?

She has free range time from about 3 - 6 as I am in school for a majority of the day. She eats dried mealworms as a treat but she typically does not eat a lot of them. She has a 16% layer feed. I also try to provide oyster shells for extra calcium. Also, I just noticed that Flash has just started molting a few days ago. SO you think that she has been pecking more because of it? Because I feel like it has gotten worse. I just don't understand why she would peck the feathers and not eat them.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

She has free range time from about 3 - 6 as I am in school for a majority of the day. She eats dried mealworms as a treat but she typically does not eat a lot of them. She has a 16% layer feed. I also try to provide oyster shells for extra calcium. Also, I just noticed that Flash has just started molting a few days ago. SO you think that she has been pecking more because of it? Because I feel like it has gotten worse. I just don't understand why she would peck the feathers and not eat them.

She is being given the lowest amount of protein a laying hen should be eating. Feather picking can often be because of too low of protein in diet. Especially if she is molting I would switch her to a feed with 20% protein and see if that helps.

 

[Grace8269]

She is being given the lowest amount of protein a laying hen should be eating. Feather picking can often be because of too low of protein in diet. Especially if she is molting I would switch her to a feed with 20% protein and see if that helps.

Thank you so much! I have been debating whether or not to switch the feed because my other chickens seem very fine with their diets. What feed are your chickens on if you don't mind me asking?