I have an 11 week old chick with scabs on her tail feathers.

[ChickenCanoe]

Feathers are 92% protein, which is why chickens eat them when they feel deprived.
It can be any fish. The reason I suggest mackerel is because it is much cheaper ounce to ounce than tuna or salmon and is at least as nutritious. It comes in a can so it won't go bad till you open the can. You can keep a couple cans on hand and occasionally, give them a treat. They won't need the supplement every day but for growing birds, they make good use of the essential amino acids.
A good way to look at the relationship between crude protein and essential amino acids is the rain barrel example. It doesn't matter how high the crude protein is, the benefit is constrained by the limiting amino acid.
The following example is for swine but it holds true for all living creatures.
https://www.asi.k-state.edu/extensi...y of describing a,level of the shortest stave.
This is a graphical representation.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure...nthesis-due-to-the-lack-of-an_fig20_333729916

To further belabor the point, protein tends to be expensive.
When feeding a high protein diet that is in excess of what an animal can use (this includes all the protein over and above the limiting amino acid), the excess protein needs to be processed by the liver and expelled by the kidneys. It works both organs harder than necessary. That protein ends up as nitrogen and ammonia in the bedding. If you occasionally put get down and put your nose at the level where chickens breathe and you smell ammonia, they are getting too much protein in some fashion. That is also hard on their fragile respiratory systems.

You come at this much better prepared than new chicken owners because you raised guineas. Any exposure to livestock gives the prudent observer insight.

 

[Twilia]

Pics are not clear, so im guessing. It looks like there are dark pin feathers growing in; May be a attraction to the other birds and they peck at them; There is actually a lotion for cannibalism (so pecking isnt out of hand) @ TSC called PeckNoMore. They dont like the taste of. What ever you do, be sure of what you are treating for.

 

[DonnaScott]

Feathers are 92% protein, which is why chickens eat them when they feel deprived.
It can be any fish. The reason I suggest mackerel is because it is much cheaper ounce to ounce than tuna or salmon and is at least as nutritious. It comes in a can so it won't go bad till you open the can. You can keep a couple cans on hand and occasionally, give them a treat. They won't need the supplement every day but for growing birds, they make good use of the essential amino acids.
A good way to look at the relationship between crude protein and essential amino acids is the rain barrel example. It doesn't matter how high the crude protein is, the benefit is constrained by the limiting amino acid.
The following example is for swine but it holds true for all living creatures.
https://www.asi.k-state.edu/extension/swine/swinenutritionguide/general_nutrition_principles/limitingaminoacids.html#:~:text=A way of describing a,level of the shortest stave.
This is a graphical representation.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure...nthesis-due-to-the-lack-of-an_fig20_333729916

To further belabor the point, protein tends to be expensive.
When feeding a high protein diet that is in excess of what an animal can use (this includes all the protein over and above the limiting amino acid), the excess protein needs to be processed by the liver and expelled by the kidneys. It works both organs harder than necessary. That protein ends up as nitrogen and ammonia in the bedding. If you occasionally put get down and put your nose at the level where chickens breathe and you smell ammonia, they are getting too much protein in some fashion. That is also hard on their fragile respiratory systems.

You come at this much better prepared than new chicken owners because you raised guineas. Any exposure to livestock gives the prudent observer insight.

I really thought chickens would be a breeze in comparison but that's clearly not the case. I had a dozen guineas and outside of their bad decisions they were healthy and hearty. I had no health issues or fighting issues (just the occasional banter).

This site was my go-to and great people like you giving great advice, tips and techniques.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I really thought chickens would be a breeze in comparison but that's clearly not the case. I had a dozen guineas and outside of their bad decisions they were healthy and hearty. I had no health issues or fighting issues (just the occasional banter).

This site was my go-to and great people like you giving great advice, tips and techniques.

I think they are a breeze. Just don't overthink it and don't worry until you have something to worry about.

Remember, big ventilation and fresh feed. Eliminate treats until everything settles down. They can't go over a day without water.

 

[DonnaScott]

I think they are a breeze. Just don't overthink it and don't worry until you have something to worry about.

Remember, big ventilation and fresh feed. Eliminate treats until everything settles down. They can't go over a day without water.

Well the other day they tried to murder my silki

I spent the afternoon rushing to get a new set up for him. I put him in the coop at night when the others retire to their roost and pull him out in the morning. I tried cutting his hair so he can see but it's so thick around his eyes. He's pretty much blind. I'm praying I can integrate him into the coop, also praying he's a rooster and gets a little tougher when he matures.

The other one has a tail issue that I'm still concerned about.

So 3 of the 5 have been a headache.

My husband is putting together a roost for outside during the day and I set up a dust bath for them with some herbs.

It's been a crash course this last month......

 

[DonnaScott]

I think they are a breeze. Just don't overthink it and don't worry until you have something to worry about.

Remember, big ventilation and fresh feed. Eliminate treats until everything settles down. They can't go over a day without water.

They also didn't care for the mackerel yet. They are sort of picky still. I have a few cans to try again.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well you bring up another point. Breed selection. Some breeds can make your workload increase. That is a completely different issue.
I prefer chickens that look and behave like livestock. They are easy. When one opts for birds that look like they just came out of a fancy boutique and not the least rugged. Well, there's your sign.
Not only other chickens, but silkies are magnets for predation of both the aerial and terrestrial kind. I knew a woman who raised silkies exclusively. Even as an afficionado, she dubbed them "hawk bites".
Birds that could never be construed as lap pets are aloof, wary of predators and fend for themselves without care during the day.
I've had close friends with silkies. Are they adorable? Absolutely. Would I own one? Absolutely not.
Maybe I'm just lazy and want life to take care of itself with little intervention on my part. Maybe I don't have the time or energy to overcomplicate my life.
Those skittish, wary breeds, tend to be better foragers and in many respects, just easy keepers.
Another point on breed selection. It is best to keep breeds appropriate for one's climate. You are in New Jersey so American breeds originating in the Northeast are good. Jersey Giant comes to mind. Most continental class birds would work.
More heat hardy than either American or Continental class, Mediterranean breeds tend to be among the wary varieties I mentioned. An added bonus is they are among the most prolific egg producers.

 

[DonnaScott]

Well you bring up another point. Breed selection. Some breeds can make your workload increase. That is a completely different issue.
I prefer chickens that look and behave like livestock. They are easy. When one opts for birds that look like they just came out of a fancy boutique and not the least rugged. Well, there's your sign.
Not only other chickens, but silkies are magnets for predation of both the aerial and terrestrial kind. I knew a woman who raised silkies exclusively. Even as an afficionado, she dubbed them "hawk bites".
Birds that could never be construed as lap pets are aloof, wary of predators and fend for themselves without care during the day.
I've had close friends with silkies. Are they adorable? Absolutely. Would I own one? Absolutely not.
Maybe I'm just lazy and want life to take care of itself with little intervention on my part. Maybe I don't have the time or energy to overcomplicate my life.
Those skittish, wary breeds, tend to be better foragers and in many respects, just easy keepers.
Another point on breed selection. It is best to keep breeds appropriate for one's climate. You are in New Jersey so American breeds originating in the Northeast are good. Jersey Giant comes to mind. Most continental class birds would work.
More heat hardy than either American or Continental class, Mediterranean breeds tend to be among the wary varieties I mentioned. An added bonus is they are among the most prolific egg producers.

That's fair. Nothing rattles him. That was a learning curve for sure. I may get another silkie and keep him in a separate coop or rehome him.

He is definitely a pet more than livestock.

 

[DonnaScott]

Well you bring up another point. Breed selection. Some breeds can make your workload increase. That is a completely different issue.
I prefer chickens that look and behave like livestock. They are easy. When one opts for birds that look like they just came out of a fancy boutique and not the least rugged. Well, there's your sign.
Not only other chickens, but silkies are magnets for predation of both the aerial and terrestrial kind. I knew a woman who raised silkies exclusively. Even as an afficionado, she dubbed them "hawk bites".
Birds that could never be construed as lap pets are aloof, wary of predators and fend for themselves without care during the day.
I've had close friends with silkies. Are they adorable? Absolutely. Would I own one? Absolutely not.
Maybe I'm just lazy and want life to take care of itself with little intervention on my part. Maybe I don't have the time or energy to overcomplicate my life.
Those skittish, wary breeds, tend to be better foragers and in many respects, just easy keepers.
Another point on breed selection. It is best to keep breeds appropriate for one's climate. You are in New Jersey so American breeds originating in the Northeast are good. Jersey Giant comes to mind. Most continental class birds would work.
More heat hardy than either American or Continental class, Mediterranean breeds tend to be among the wary varieties I mentioned. An added bonus is they are among the most prolific egg producers.

I wished I had studied up on the best birds for my area. I had gotten all different one's. I'm not sure what any of them are but I have an idea. It would have been better to get half a dozen of the same. I see that now.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wished I had studied up on the best birds for my area. I had gotten all different one's. I'm not sure what any of them are but I have an idea. It would have been better to get half a dozen of the same. I see that now.

If you are willing to have all of the same breed. A good one for your area are Rhode Island Reds. They tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock but are great among their own kind. They are also one of the most productive breeds. They are the breed that all brown egg commercial chickens evolved from.
There's nothing wrong with a mixed flock as long as they're compatible. It increases variety of personalities, eye candy colors of both feathers and eggs.
I've had over 30 different breeds. I didn't regret it because I learned so much and, in the process, I was able to identify my most favorite breed, runner ups and also rans. It also helped me determine the general characteristics in birds that I most admired.