Mites or Pecking Order fights?

[RuralChick83]

Hi there! I have not run into this before. I have one chicken who has been losing her top feathers and now her under fluff is exposed. I am not sure if it mites. From what I read, the chickens usually have bald spots and you can see the mites. I have checked her, not as thoroughly as I would've liked, but I have not seen any mites.
I did start noticing her feather loss after my lead hen died, which was about 2 weeks ago. Could she be getting picked on by the other birds? I have not figured out yet if there is a new lead hen. None have stuck out yet as in charge. Also, I did just notice today that my last older bird from my first flock had some feathers missing by her neck. Otherwise, no other chickens have been losing feathers.
I am planning on majorly cleaning the coop this weekend. I live in WI and we are supposedly getting warmer weather, so I can finally clean it well. I also will be buying permethrin too, just in case. If I don't see any mites, is she getting picked on and do I need to remove her so she can grow her feathers back? I would like some advice and if anyone else has dealt with something similar.

 

[sourland]

Some bird/birds in the flock are feather pecking/plucking.

 

[RuralChick83]

Some bird/birds in the flock are feather pecking/plucking.

Is there anything I can do about it?

 

[RuralChick83]

Update: The pecking is still going on. I bought her a saddle to wear and I did buy pinless peepers, but I have not had time to see who is doing it or when. I have watched them outside from inside my house and when I clean up in the morning and they leave her alone then. My guess is it either happens before I close up for the night or possibly when they go in one of the shelters in their run. Last night, they had pecked her bad and she was bleeding right above her tail feathers (sorry for the bad pic, but she did not want to stay still.) I took her out and cleaned her wound and have her in the garage to heal. I don't know why she is getting picked on and this started happening after my head hen died and I thought it would eventually get better. I do have some young chickens with some cockerels that were born a week after Thanksgiving that I eventually will merge with my other gals. Will having some guys in the bunch help or are they too young to be effective? Any suggestions on what I should do? I don't have a lot of time to check and watch them since I work part time and taking care of my baby. Plus, my husband is not very helpful.

 

[nuthatched]

It's caused by poor diet, close quarters, boredom. Etc

 

[RuralChick83]

It's caused by poor diet, close quarters, boredom. Etc

It shouldn't be their diet. They get their chicken feed, calcium, I have been giving them some pumpkin and strawberries for the last couple weeks here and there and I do have a cabbage to give them this week. Is there something else I should be giving them or taking out?
They do not have close quarters in the coop (maybe their shelters outside if they all squeeze in one) and this week I have been letting them free range in the yard. I know when she sleeps, she squeezes herself between 2 of my buffs. Is she sleeping to close to them and they don't like that?
Maybe boredom, but I don't understand why this started happening after my lead hen died. Never had any of this prior.

 

[nuthatched]

It shouldn't be their diet. They get their chicken feed, calcium, I have been giving them some pumpkin and strawberries for the last couple weeks here and there and I do have a cabbage to give them this week. Is there something else I should be giving them or taking out?
They do not have close quarters in the coop (maybe their shelters outside if they all squeeze in one) and this week I have been letting them free range in the yard. I know when she sleeps, she squeezes herself between 2 of my buffs. Is she sleeping to close to them and they don't like that?
Maybe boredom, but I don't understand why this started happening after my lead hen died. Never had any of this prior.

What is their complete diet? What type of chicken feed?

 

[RuralChick83]

The chicken feed I get them is the Sprout brand from Fleet Farm. They have calcium chips in a bowl for them to take when they want. I give them veggies and fruits here and there. For the last month, they have had pumpkin, grapes, strawberries and blackberries. I did give them a small handful of mealworms one day and I had to put them back in there run a little earlier and gave them a small handful of scratch.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Mine get scratch and peck 18% protein pellets, they have calcium, they S&P grubbs once a week. They still pick at each other.
The time to look for mites is at night with a flashlight. In fact I am doing that tonight.
I use LG dog flea and tic drops on my hens to rid them of mites. Each hen get 4 to 6 drops. Works great and fast.
Then after 5 days I recheck them.
I had to do this last December I think it was.

 

[RuralChick83]

Mine get scratch and peck 18% protein pellets, they have calcium, they S&P grubbs once a week. They still pick at each other.
The time to look for mites is at night with a flashlight. In fact I am doing that tonight.
I use LG dog flea and tic drops on my hens to rid them of mites. Each hen get 4 to 6 drops. Works great and fast.
Then after 5 days I recheck them.
I had to do this last December I think it was.

I have checked for mites and have not seen anything and it is just the one hen that is getting pecked. Could it still be mites if its only been the one for about a month now? The Sprout food is layer pellets with 16% protein.