Molting? Pecking? What????

[mads+summer829]

Hello! I am brand new to the chicken raising scene and just got my chickens two weeks ago. They are 9 weeks old and I have one Swedish Flower Hen, two Blue Splash Marans, and one golden laced wyandotte. No roosters. I don't know what molting looks like but I also don't know if they are pecking each other or what! There is blood around the areas which is why I don't know if it is pecking. I am a little concerned but I hope I am just overreacting. They do get enough protein in their layer feed and have toys and are allowed into the yard protected.

Here are some pictures.

sorry for the random barrage of photos. The first picture is one of the Marans and she has the most missing feathers. The second is the Wyandotte missing feathers in the back. Third is feathers missing around head (I know it doesn't look bad in the picture it is a bad picture but she is missing feathers). Fourth and last is coop set up. 5th and 6th are missing feathers in back and 7th is the second Maran who is missing no feathers what so ever.

 

[Trux]

Hello! I am brand new to the chicken raising scene and just got my chickens two weeks ago. They are 9 weeks old and I have one Swedish Flower Hen, two Blue Splash Marans, and one golden laced wyandotte. No roosters. I don't know what molting looks like but I also don't know if they are pecking each other or what! There is blood around the areas which is why I don't know if it is pecking. I am a little concerned but I hope I am just overreacting. They do get enough protein in their layer feed and have toys and are allowed into the yard protected. View attachment 1373956 Here are some pictures.

sorry for the random barrage of photos. The first picture is one of the Marans and she has the most missing feathers. The second is the Wyandotte missing feathers in the back. Third is feathers missing around head (I know it doesn't look bad in the picture it is a bad picture but she is missing feathers). Fourth and last is coop set up. 5th and 6th are missing feathers in back and 7th is the second Maran who is missing no feathers what so ever.


View attachment 1373956 View attachment 1373957 View attachment 1373958 View attachment 1373959 View attachment 1373961 View attachment 1373962 View attachment 1373964 View attachment 1373965

9 weeks is a little early for layer feed, they should still be on grower feed. This may be the reason their picking feathers. I had one hen that no matter what we did kept picking feathers. I would get them on feed with 20% protein till at least 18 weeks. Feather picking can become a habit also...I had one of those and some of my hens look like crap because of one feather picker. Sorry to say we had to cull her, but the rest of the flock is more relaxed now.
Get some Blue Coat to put on those bloody areas so they won't keep picking, the red draws them to that area and they will peck at it and make it worse
Also you will see feather loss from what I call teenage molt, they loose their baby feathers and start growing adult feathers about 9 to 12 weeks. But what I see in the pictures is picking so try to keep an eye on them to figure out who it is or iff all of them are doing it

 

[mads+summer829]

9 weeks is a little early for layer feed, they should still be on grower feed. This may be the reason their picking feathers. I had one hen that no matter what we did kept picking feathers. I would get them on feed with 20% protein till at least 18 weeks. Feather picking can become a habit also...I had one of those and some of my hens look like crap because of one feather picker. Sorry to say we had to cull her, but the rest of the flock is more relaxed now.
Get some Blue Coat to put on those bloody areas so they won't keep picking, the red draws them to that area and they will peck at it and make it worse
Also you will see feather loss from what I call teenage molt, they loose their baby feathers and start growing adult feathers about 9 to 12 weeks. But what I see in the pictures is picking so try to keep an eye on them to figure out who it is or iff all of them are doing it

thank you so much! We will watch them closely now and try that Blue Coat out

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are 9 weeks old

They do get enough protein in their layer feed

I agree with @Trux at 9weeks old these birds need to be on chick starter or flock raiser. Layer feed generally does not have enough protein to support growing chicks and it has too much calcium. Switch their feed asap.

The damage to the feathers looks like picking to me. I see quite a bit of broken feathers with the shaft still intact. Since your birds are young, they will probably go through a couple of more mini-molts so will likely grow in new feathers.

How large is the coop? (sqft)

 

[mads+summer829]

I agree with @Trux at 9weeks old these birds need to be on chick starter or flock raiser. Layer feed generally does not have enough protein to support growing chicks and it has too much calcium. Switch their feed asap.

The damage to the feathers looks like picking to me. I see quite a bit of broken feathers with the shaft still intact. Since your birds are young, they will probably go through a couple of more mini-molts so will likely grow in new feathers.

How large is the coop? (sqft)

I don't know the square footage, but the coop is big, it says it can fit up to 18 chickens and we only have four. I will add more protein in before I can get grower feed.

 

[mads+summer829]

Ok I am an idiot and I have had them on grower feed with 20% protein the entire time. We added new toys and lavender to calm them down but the one just keeps picking the feathers out. Should I get the pinless peeper blinder things or just wait to see if it stops. We put the no pick spray on but that doesn't seem to stop her

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post a video of her actions?

 

[Trux]

Ok I am an idiot and I have had them on grower feed with 20% protein the entire time. We added new toys and lavender to calm them down but the one just keeps picking the feathers out. Should I get the pinless peeper blinder things or just wait to see if it stops. We put the no pick spray on but that doesn't seem to stop her

I would suggest Pick No More, but it has mixed reviews. It did work for me except for one hen that seemed addicted to picking, peepers, pick no more, jail for a week, none of it stopped her so I had to cull her cause she had others starting to pick as well. Once I removed her the picking has stopped.
If it is just one bird doing the picking remove it from the flock for a week, then try putting it back in the flock and watch to see if the picking continues. If not you may be ok if she does you may either have to keep it separated in a different pen or cull it.
Also you can get some meal worms and or black sunflower seeds to add some more protein to their diet