A few days ago I went to let my chickens out and noticed a large amount of feathers in and around the chicken house. All chickens were accounted for and seemed to be doing fine. Most of the feathers looked like the more downy feathers and seemed to be from multiple chickens (I gathered this based on color diffwrences).
After a quick Google search I decided maybe feather picking was the issue? I had been feeding quite a bit of cracked corn and also hadn't been letting them out as early since having a baby 3 months ago.
However they aren't eating the feathers, just leaving them once they are out so now I'm questioning the feather picking because of lack of protein. Regardless, I immediately replaced the cracked corn with all layer pellets and have tried to be more timely in letting them outside.
Today I replaced the straw and removed every single feather I saw from the chicken house and swept under the chicken house to remove all loose feathers. I checked again tonight and there were more feathers under the chicken house.
What could be the issue??
I would love to sit there all day and observe them but my 3 month old won't allow it. Also, I noticed a few hens have missing feathers around their vents (only noticeable when they poop). One of those hens hatched chicks a few months back and was removed from the flock for about a month to raise them at a friend's house, so I'm thinking she's bottom of the pecking order now. And to complicate things more, I found the (possible-always ate first) top of the pecking order hen dead yesterday, possibly from a prolapsed vent. It's been an interesting week! Any ideas???
After a quick Google search I decided maybe feather picking was the issue? I had been feeding quite a bit of cracked corn and also hadn't been letting them out as early since having a baby 3 months ago.
However they aren't eating the feathers, just leaving them once they are out so now I'm questioning the feather picking because of lack of protein. Regardless, I immediately replaced the cracked corn with all layer pellets and have tried to be more timely in letting them outside.
Today I replaced the straw and removed every single feather I saw from the chicken house and swept under the chicken house to remove all loose feathers. I checked again tonight and there were more feathers under the chicken house.
What could be the issue?? I would love to sit there all day and observe them but my 3 month old won't allow it. Also, I noticed a few hens have missing feathers around their vents (only noticeable when they poop). One of those hens hatched chicks a few months back and was removed from the flock for about a month to raise them at a friend's house, so I'm thinking she's bottom of the pecking order now. And to complicate things more, I found the (possible-always ate first) top of the pecking order hen dead yesterday, possibly from a prolapsed vent. It's been an interesting week! Any ideas???
