Hen picking out her own feathers

[DebFR]

I just read your question about chicken feather self picking and wondered if you ever sorted it out. I have a hen that was our rooster's favorite. As a result she had a bald spot on her back. We found him a new home after he started jumping me, but her feathers grew back. I am quite sure she is self picking these feathers and has a much larger bald area. I am going to make her an apron, my thinking being that this will discourage her from doing this. What did you learn? Can you suggest anything? She gets layer 16% protein food, they free range in our large yard, They have oyster shell and grit available. I occasionally give them a handful of organic dry whole corn, cooked eggs, apple cores, carrot peelings, and such. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[luv2fish62]

Hi

I have the same problem with one of my laying hens. Like you I don't know what is going on. Hope someone can help us out..
Thanks

 

[KrisLinda]

My hen was sitting on 'imaginary eggs' for about 6 weeks. She would only get up once a day to eat, drink and relieve herself. Occasionallly I would have to force her to do even that. After that, for about 1 week she was up and about again, re-exploring the yard. We were hoping for more eggs, but not to be. She is staying close to us and plucking her feathers, for about 2 weeks now. She is eating and drinking well. She has plucked so many feathers that today I've noticed some bald areas. I haven't noticed her earing the feathers as others in this forum have described. I have no idea what to do to help her stop this habit. Does anyone have advice for me?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I realize this problem has been addressed before, and believe me when I say I have tried every remedy put forth on this and other forums. My little Red Star, Cosette, is about a year old now and is in great health. She eats well, lays eggs, and gets along well with her coop mates. Trouble is, she has picked all the feathers off her back and around her neck. She was the rooster's favorite until we gave him away in January (we thought he was the problem). We also thought she was being picked on until we isolated her and discovered she was doing it herself. Here are the things I have tried:

• black oil sunflower sees
• vitamins and/or organic vinegar in water
• higher protein chicken feed
• yogurt
• cat food
• meal worms (they love these)
• BluKote
• Dusting for mites
• Wazine-17 for worms
• Rooster Booster No Pick
• Pine Tar (2 kinds)
• Vick's VapoRub

Finally, last week I took her to the vet. She checked for mites and disease - nothing. Cosette is, as I have said, completely healthy. I am almost resigned that she will always be bald, but I just wanted to check one more time to see if there is something I've missed.

I absolutely enjoy this web site, and it is the first place I come to when I need advice. It's nice to know there are others who really care for their chickens.

A chicken that is plucking out it's own feathers is 90%+ sure to be suffering from de-pluming mites aka Feather Follicle mites. Don't waste your time looking for the buggers, they are microscopic much like the wee tiny mites that live in the roots of human eye lashes, that cause scale legs in poultry, or the dust mites that live in your bed and feed off of dead skin.
Many good roosters have been needlessly killed because his owners didn't understand the reason for the feather loss and laid it on the poor rooster. The de-pluming mite causes extreme discomfort and the hens pull their own plumage out to get relief. I personally dip my birds several times each year to control de-pluming mites. Sometimes there is enough misery that the chickens' bare skin turns bright red.

 

[horsemom1326]

I have a hen that plucked all the feathers from my EE rooster's muffs and beard, and he let her do it. I was so shocked when I caught her in the act that I videoed it. I just noticed yesterday, that this same hen is totally bald on her backside and belly, and I can only assume that she has plucked her own feathers now. If this might be a depluming mite, what should she be soaked in? She went through an really bad molt, but she has recently feathered out on her back, and she just sat in a nesting box to lay a few minutes ago, but I have never seen any sign of broodiness in her at all. I am baffled!

 

[wardkm2]

What kind of dip do you use? I have two silkie's with bald backs. I thought the other hens were doing it but now I have a third hen that has started. I have some spray that is supposed to control lice and mites. Would that suffice?

 

[Rozzychick]

I have a 15 week old Australorp that is picking the back of her own neck. It does seem like there are new feathers coming in, is this normal at this age?

 

[Shannon89815]

I'm having this problem with a 1 week old baby Austria chick. The others in my brooder are totally fine. I've tried putting on Peck No More, giving dried meal worms to increase protein. I feed Manna Pro Organic Chick Starter. I just can't figure this out and she looks terrible.