⠀ hen eating roo's feathers!

[DrPatrickBiggs]

does
anyone have a chicken that actually eats another 's feathers? i'm not talking about squabbling or fighting. I mean actually picking out and ingesting another's feathers. One of my RIR's will sometimes follow our rooster around and do this. And the funniest thing is that he lets her! Sometimes she really yanks them out, HARD. (They are usually very
small feathers from his side) Only one of my hens does this; my rooster is a very bossy guy so it amazes me that he sits there
and takes it!

You have an interesting situation! Pecking is a symptom that something is amiss; the challenge is to figure out what is causing the symptom.

Start with a list of questions about the environment: Are the hens too crowded? Do they ever run out of feed or water? Are they too hot or cold? Is there a predator in the area? Is there something outside of their coop that is causing them to be stressed? After the source of frustration has been identified, the next step is easy: remove the stress and the problem may go away or diminish.

Once any issues are resolved, the next step is providing birds with something to keep their minds busy on a daily basis. Vertical objects can make the coop space more complex and interesting for them. Logs, sturdy branches, or chicken swings are a few flock favorites. These provide unique retreats in cases where they might be lower in the pecking order and need to avoid the head hen.

Feather picking can be a result of boredom. Often in the fall and winter, when birds are spending more time inside, they can feel cooped up and may start pecking one another.
Look for an enrichment block, like the Purina Flock Block, that is made from whole grain; this way, the block is also nutritious. Keeping a block available encourages natural pecking instincts. Some blocks also contain oyster shell and grit, which support shell quality and digestion.