Help my girl is picking on everyone

[herechickchick]

My Blue Andalusian, Merryweather is picking on some of my chickens. She has ripped out all of Hector's (Sultan Rooster) beard feathers and ate them, and he just stood there and let her do it! I saw her try and pull my silkie over and My RIR Josephine has no feathers under her neck, I have not seen Merryweather pick Josephine's feathers out but I suspect it was her. What is going on? I have never seen her do this before today and she is normally a very sweet, quiet girl. I have her separated now but I do not know what I should do. I do not want to get rid of her but if she does not stop I may have to. Please help.

 

[tiffanyh]

My Blue Ands do the very same thing. THey are smaller and they chase my roos and pick at all my girls! Maybe it is just their nature....???? I leave all mine alone and figure they will work it out. Eventually, someone comes around and gives them a good whooping but they are picky little things.

 

[Churkenduse]

Is it time for dinner? Seriously they can actually kill each other, I had to give one back that I adopted because of this, it is not funny.

If it gets worse you might have to consider giving her up. You may lose more than one. It is so sad when they start the pecking.


You might try seperating the naughty one, put her where she can see the others but cannot peck, I heard that works sometimes. Good luck.

 

[SeaChick]

If you search the archives you'll see that lots of us have been having probelsm with feather eating/pecking lately.

I really think it was a protein deficiency in my flock; things seem better since I started the following:
daily black oil sunflower seeds
daily protein "treats" like meat/fish/poultry scraps from the table, canned tuna, plain yogurt
daily Avia Charge 2000 (for amino acids, a deficiecny of which can also cause feather eating I read)

Here's an interesting article about it: http://www.organic-vet.reading.ac.uk/Poultryweb/disease/feath/feath.htm

STacey

 

[herechickchick]

Thanks Stacey. I am headed to the store.

 

[herechickchick]

Stacey I just wanted to let you know that your suggestions worked like a charm! THANKS!