Moulting or Feather Pecking?

[YaYasDottes]

Is this moulting? Or is a bully ripping out the back feathers of my silver Wyandottes? If it is bullying, how do I make the offender stop?

 

[Weeg]

That looks like bullying, is this the only hen who has this? Who much space do they have? Try to find the bully, and separate them for a few days to bring down there dominance. It could be boredom to, here is a a good article on boredom busters, to help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-complete-list-of-boredom-busters.76129/

 

[YaYasDottes]

Thanks for the good advice and article link. My 14 hens have 80 square feet of coop and 128 square feet of run. They get 16% protein layer feed to eat, fresh water daily, and all kinds of amusements, such as produce dangling from the ceiling, extra perches outside, treat toys, and plenty of human interaction.

 

[Weeg]

Thanks for the good advice and article link. My 14 hens have 80 square feet of coop and 128 square feet of run. They get 16% protein layer feed to eat, fresh water daily, and all kinds of amusements, such as produce dangling from the ceiling, extra perches outside, treat toys, and plenty of human interaction.

Okay, so probably not bored, but it is likely a bully thing. Watch and look for the bully hen, when you find her, separate are for a few days, to bring down her rank. Is this the only hen with this issue?

 

[YaYasDottes]

My three silver Wyandottes all have bald backs like the one pictured.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Hmm you need to keep an eye out. Do you have a roo? Are the wyandottes the same age?

 

[YaYasDottes]

I don't think I have a rooster. But one of my Black Stars is bigger than the rest and is making a sound like a goose honking out a trumpet fanfare before a king's arrival. Six of my Wyandottes are 6 months old. Two are 4.5 months. The bald patches are on three from the oldest group. The honker is 5 months old.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Since they are the same age I wold have said moulting if it weren't only on their saddles. Can I see a picture of the honker please?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the good advice and article link. My 14 hens have 80 square feet of coop and 128 square feet of run. They get 16% protein layer feed to eat, fresh water daily, and all kinds of amusements, such as produce dangling from the ceiling, extra perches outside, treat toys, and plenty of human interaction.

My three silver Wyandottes all have bald backs like the one pictured.

Can you show some photos of your coop/run set-up and birds?
Run space may be a little tight for 14 large fowl - sometimes you need more.

I agree, it does look like feather picking, you may want to observe during roosting time to see if that's when most of the picking is going on.

 

[YaYasDottes]

This is my coop and run. I spent hours with the chickens today and discovered one of the gold Wyandottes was ripping feathers off others and swallowing them on the spot. She was also chasing them away from feeders and waterers.

I put her in a separate coop by herself, and the entire flock breathed a collective sigh of relief. I was amazed by how much more calm they all were when she was out of the picture. Removing her also revealed that a small hen who has been steadily declining was simply unable to bypass the bully to access any food. She ate a warm dinner on my lap and toddled off to her roost before the others. Usually, she is whining at me and refusing to go to her roost. Now I can see that she was trying to tell me she was hungry!

When it grew dark, I put my offender in the run inside of a smaller pen by herself. While the rest of the hens enjoyed a treat of their feed mixed with hot water, my troublemaker had to sit and watch. As everyone hopped up onto their roosts for the night, I gave her a small amount of feed and water that she had to eat alone.

Since I have nowhere to put the bully in separate quarters at night that would be safe from predators, I put her back in the coop after all the others were asleep. If she pulls any feathers overnight, I am going to install a dog crate in the coop for 'jail.' As long as she continues bullying, I will keep isolating her. If she doesn't quit harassing the others soon, she may have to

Since they are the same age I wold have said moulting if it weren't only on their saddles. Can I see a picture of the honker please?

be culled.