Hen eating feathers what to do?!

[imogene08]

I have two hens who eat feathers my lead hen a SLW is the only one who plucks the feathers only the vent feathers after she plucks my black Australorp comes running to eat them too.She only does it to a few chickens my Australorp doesn't pluck just eats they get a layer pellet and scratch they don't free range and get additional oyster shells any way to stop this none of my other chickens do it any ideas

 

[sourland]

Do a search on 'Pinless Peepers' - they can halt this practice, and once the habit is broken sometimes they can be removed.

 

[imogene08]

Is it
Possible that they need more protein ??

 

[sourland]

It may be - generally, I think, it is a bad habit started from boredom. Try adding protein in the form of cat food. If it were a dietary problem, I think all of your birds would be conducting the practice.