I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

[pegm]

I have read thru this entire thread, and it has fascinated me. A lot of good info. Here's my problem. I got 2 RIR's (6 mos old), and an EE (3 months old) at the same time, same place, different pens. The 2 RI's went after the EE relentlessly at first, but that became better over time, but occasionally the reds would grab a feather out of her tail and eat it. As this was only occasionally, I thought it might go away. But my EE has not had a tail for awhile now. That in itself was OK as they seemed just to take the tail feathers, the rest of her is nice and fluffy, normal pecking order and all that. BUT, the EE JUST started laying (2 eggs so far), and now the reds seem to be after her constantly. They are now starting up her back. I observed today the EE hunched down in submissive breeding stance, and the reds just picking away. I was building them a new coop and all I had was the 2X2 in my hand so I went over and smacked the side of the coop. They stopped for a bit, but at least once every minute or two I'd hear poor Goldie's "SQUAWK!!". It was really upsetting me. I threw them some meal worms thinking it might be a protein issue, and the other day when I refreshed their grit dish they ate all of it which surprised me as it was not empty before. I would get rid of the two who do the plucking, but they are good producers so far (they are still laying pullet eggs), and Goldie has just started. If it doesn't cease, I may re-home Goldie, and get another hen, but I tried adding a barred rock, and that was a disaster. Putting her in at night (tried 3 nights) didn't work AT ALL, and after 4 days of them relentlessly chasing her and so much "crying" from the reds, I re-homed her. I'd love a BO but am afraid it could not stand up to the abuse by the reds.

Anyway, I may try the Forco, our local feed store may carry it. I have a drop feeder in the coop, and a chicken nipple waterer (don't think the bits could be used with the nipple waterers). I will also get some Blue Lotion to put on Goldie (I was hoping for blue eggs, got very light olive. Maybe the Blue Lotion will change that! ) I have also tried BOSS (my horse LOVES it) and they seem uninterested. Ditto apples. I feed kitchen scraps (prime rib scraps seem to be a favorite, but I wanna know, HOW do THEY know it's so good? Chicken races in the extreme). I'm durned sure they didn't get anything like that where I got them from. Also feed fruits and veggies. They get out on the grass a couple times a week. When I mow the coop gets raked up and they get the clippings which they LOVE. Most evenings if they don't get out I pull weeds (crab grass mostly) out of the back yard. Only problem with that is now the back yard is practically weed free, guess I better go weed the neighbors yard.

Thanks for all your posts, and Azygous thank you for all your updates on all you have tried on your bad little lassie.

BTW, I used to raise finches, and the grit mixture I mixed for them included kosher salt, I might scatter a bit on the ground, see if they go after it.

 

[azygous]

It sure sounds like you're throwing the whole kitchen sink at your problem, hoping something will work. The problem with this approach is that you really won't know what worked if, indeed, something just happens to improve the situation.

RIRs have kind of a "bad-***" reputation. If your two were raised together, they have an advantage over the EE, if she wasn't raised in the same brooder batch that they were. If your were to go back to where you got her and ask for another hen that was reared with the EE, bring her home, let the two get re-acquainted, then they could be a match for the two RIRs.

It's not that two EEs will rumble with the two RIRs, but that your lone EE has no self confidence right now since she's alone without a supportive, familiar friend. This is a dynamic I've observed over the years of rearing baby chicks. The smallest unit I've raised is three, and one was killed by a hawk two years ago. Both of the surviving hens have self-confidence issues, though they do tend to keep each other company. Neither one, however, have a comfortable existence within the flock of twenty. Their unit number is simply too small to make a difference. All the others have larger representation.

With hens, there really is such a thing as "strength in numbers". If you really want to change the social dynamic, try to find two former brooder mates to bring home to your lonely, little EE! They will outnumber the RIRs and I would be willing to bet they would back off.

 

[pegm]

Thanks Azygous, I may try that as I am thinking about adding one more. Problem is we are only allowed 3 chickens in town (crazy since we are a rural town, but I figure no one is going to come count my chickens so probably safe adding one more). I got the hens in early June, so hopefully she might still have one Goldie was raised with. I did put Vicks on her bum this evening, and as I looked the hen that is the main culprit started toward Goldie and looked like she wanted to grab a feather, she kinda stopped and shook her head a little and wandered away.

When I do add one if she has any left, I can only hope the reds don't put her thru what they put the barred rock thru. Plus since I am in town, I have to be sensitive to the noise level because of the neighbors. And boy were they noisy! Pacing and crying all day long for 4 days. Drove me nuts, so I'm sure the neighbors were affected too. They didn't say anything, but it had to effect them. Course I don't say anything about the funny "smell" coming from their yard fairly frequently from the wacky weed. My poor girls, they are just across the fence from that.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

 

[azygous]

Terrific! I hope you can find one of her brooder mates. If not, find another EE around the same age, if possible.

Bring her home and segregate Goldie and the new one. Watch to make sure they do nothing more than Goldie greeting the new one with a peck on the noggin. That's pretty much standard when a chicken is greeting a new-comer, even one she recognizes from before.

Let them spend a day or two together. If you have a dog crate, it would be ideal to confine them in it together while they bond. Neither should have any interference from the RIRs during this bonding period.

When you do let them in with the two punks, they should both feel confident from their bond with each other, and things should unfold uneventfully. I'll be very surprised to learn they didn't when you report back.

And I'll be looking forward to that.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I would separate the bullies. Take the dominant one away and put her in a crate or somewhere that they cannot see each other at the time that you are introducing the EE to the RIRs for at least a week, maybe two.

 

[pegm]

Good advice, I hope she has one available, have not heard back from her yet.

 

[azygous]

Lacy, that's a great idea! If the two RIRs are deprived of their support for each other, that would make the new comer and Goldie have more of an edge. It would interrupt the pecking order, too, something we're aiming for.

On thinking some more about it, I'd leave the EE and the new comer in a crate together for at least five days to set the bond solidly. Then introduce the two of them to the less dominant RIR, then a couple days later, bring back the dominant RIR and watch the new pecking order sort itself out. It'll be fun.

 

[Maurice11]

good luck - i haven't tried the Forco yet since I think it takes 7 weeks, and i don't have 7 weeks for the pluckers to stop. I still have the three Polish with their white head dresses sequestered in a separate pen. They get along fine, even lay an egg once in awhile. The other 3 Polish with black head dresses are fine with all the other girls and two roosters. I have them in a double dog kennel, with lots of shavings, gets to be about 25 degrees at night and so far, so good. I will get a couple of bales of straw and put that around the kennel for additional warmth from snow - I hope. I understand there is a pecking order, but I have suffered with previous flocks with the hens plucking and pecking each other to death. They are a carnivorous breed.

 

[pegm]

Thanks guys, I still haven't heard from the lady I got them from. They may be in the middle of a move, don't know. I do know someone else that if she doesn't have a "litter mate" of Goldies, he may have one about the same age. My ability to separate them is limited, but will figure something out.

 

[azygous]

Peg, all you need to do is to borrow two dog crates if you have any friends with dogs. Or in a pinch, you could drag home a couple of cardboard appliance boxes from Sears or Walmart. I used to use those for brooders, and I stretched cheese cloth over the top to keep the chicks in. It would work for a couple of big chickens as well . There are always ways.