Is this molting???

[familyofellchicks]

This^^^

Plus... how big is your coop and run, in feet by feet, for how many birds?
Dimensions and pics of it all might really help here.

The run is 16'x7'x5'10". It's fairly sterile though so I added some branches to perch and climb around. I'll add a dusting area and a ladder/swing for them.

 

[Stephanie8806]

The run is 16'x7'x5'10". It's fairly sterile though so I added some branches to perch and climb around. I'll add a dusting area and a ladder/swing for them.

A few of my hens have feathers missing at the base of their tail on their back like that, as well. They have a 400 square-foot run(for 9 hens), more than enough space in the coop, and they free range daily. But, they did start pecking Feathers a little around the same age yours are. I think once they all start laying eggs and get their mama bird sassy pants on, the pecking order shenanigans step up a little bit.

Think, Sorority Sisters who have to live together all the time. They have enough space, and it’s all sunshine and rainbows at first, but once Stacy gets a stain on a borrowed sweater from Janet, and Lucy starts dating Julies ex boyfriend, tensions mount and they get a little catty. Just some good old fashioned family drama, IMO. As long as the pecking stays minimal like this and they done sustain any real injuries(like broken skin, bleeding), it’s best to let them work it out.

I have had a little success using “Peck-No-More” if one girl seems to be receiving the brunt of the bullying. Non toxic and chickens don’t like the taste. Purple, smells like grape soda.

Doing the math, your run allows about 11 square feet per chicken. I think a lot of resources would say that that’s “enough”, but kind of like the “3-4sqft per chicken in a coop” rule, 10 sqft per hen in a run is more like a minimum allowance, rather than “optimal”. Would it be at all possible for you to expand their run?

 

[familyofellchicks]

A few of my hens have feathers missing at the base of their tail on their back like that, as well. They have a 400 square-foot run(for 9 hens), more than enough space in the coop, and they free range daily. But, they did start pecking Feathers a little around the same age yours are. I think once they all start laying eggs and get their mama bird sassy pants on, the pecking order shenanigans step up a little bit.

Think, Sorority Sisters who have to live together all the time. They have enough space, and it’s all sunshine and rainbows at first, but once Stacy gets a stain on a borrowed sweater from Janet, and Lucy starts dating Julies ex boyfriend, tensions mount and they get a little catty. Just some good old fashioned family drama, IMO. As long as the pecking stays minimal like this and they done sustain any real injuries(like broken skin, bleeding), it’s best to let them work it out.

I have had a little success using “Peck-No-More” if one girl seems to be receiving the brunt of the bullying. Non toxic and chickens don’t like the taste. Purple, smells like grape soda.

Doing the math, your run allows about 11 square feet per chicken. I think a lot of resources would say that that’s “enough”, but kind of like the “3-4sqft per chicken in a coop” rule, 10 sqft per hen in a run is more like a minimum allowance, rather than “optimal”. Would it be at all possible for you to expand their run?

What's interesting to me is it seems to be just one hen doing all of the pecking. She's a Buff Orpington that will pick on the Easter Eggers, my Red Sex Link, but she leaves my production blues alone for the most part. If I had to guess I would say she is the current queen bee.

 

[Stephanie8806]

What's interesting to me is it seems to be just one hen doing all of the pecking. She's a Buff Orpington that will pick on the Easter Eggers, my Red Sex Link, but she leaves my production blues alone for the most part. If I had to guess I would say she is the current queen bee.

Well, that’s the “pecking order”. It’s a tower of power(aka the family drama I mentioned). For one to be on top, there has to be someone on the bottom. And of course, that leaves a bunch in the middle.
Those ones getting picked on in my flock at one of my EAster Eggers, a Dominant Copper, and a Wyandotte. There’s another dominant copper that has a little bit of a disheveled look around her neck feathers, but nothing substantial. The other 5 look pristine.

From my understanding, Buff Orpingtons have a tendency to go broody and make excellent Mamas. This means that they need to carry enough authority in a flock to protect their young from other chickens. My Buff Orpington has always been so sweet to me, but she has always had the most pristine plumage of the flock... and I notice that none of the other chickens mess with her. At all. She always eats or drinks first and the others hang back until she’s done. So I’m sure she’s probably “keeping them in line” in some form or another.

 

[familyofellchicks]

Well, that’s the “pecking order”. It’s a tower of power(aka the family drama I mentioned). For one to be on top, there has to be someone on the bottom. And of course, that leaves a bunch in the middle.
Those ones getting picked on in my flock at one of my EAster Eggers, a Dominant Copper, and a Wyandotte. There’s another dominant copper that has a little bit of a disheveled look around her neck feathers, but nothing substantial. The other 5 look pristine.

From my understanding, Buff Orpingtons have a tendency to go broody and make excellent Mamas. This means that they need to carry enough authority in a flock to protect their young from other chickens. My Buff Orpington has always been so sweet to me, but she has always had the most pristine plumage of the flock... and I notice that none of the other chickens mess with her. At all. She always eats or drinks first and the others hang back until she’s done. So I’m sure she’s probably “keeping them in line” in some form or another.

Yeha it's always been her in charge since they were all brought together. I am just surprised she's actually had to start pecking now. She'll even challenge me sometimes as well which is funny considering that I am 1000x her size.

 

[Stephanie8806]

Yeha it's always been her in charge since they were all brought together. I am just surprised she's actually had to start pecking now. She'll even challenge me sometimes as well which is funny considering that I am 1000x her size.

I think it’s the age. Once they’ve been laying for a little bit and hormones start to regulate, I think they start figuring out their standing... and enforcing it. Sassy pants!

Try the Peck-No-More. See if that helps!