MY CHICKENS ARE PLUCKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH

[gluckgluck9000]

Oyster shell can be put in a dish and left to the side of the food. They will eat it when they need it. You won't need much for 2 hens.

Should I have it accessible at all times like their food is?

 

[dawg53]

Once a feather picker, always a feather picker. Other birds learn from the feather picker to pick feathers from others. It would be best to cull and start over.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you for this thorough response, I will most definitely be making a trip to the Dollar Tree tomorrow.

I will also go inspect them now that it's night here.

Do you think it's possible to renovate the coop I have already to make it suitable for them or should I really just go buy a new one? My problems is that I'm in college and money is tight, but I also don't know how to build things haha. I want my chickens to be happy and healthy but I will most likely have to say goodbye to them in close to 1 and 1/2 years because I will be moving from my college town. It's hard to decide how much to spend on my sweet little buddies.

I read your Intro so realized that funds are likely tight. That is one reason I suggested pallets.
For 2 birds you only need one nest box. Take the divider out on the end they don't use.
The floor door eats up floor space but would be a pain to move.

Lemme think on ways to make it better on the cheap.

Can you measure how tall the inside is please?

 

[gluckgluck9000]

I still think you need more space for them to roost at night, and something they can actually roost on. Some birds like to or don't mind snuggling close, others demand space. And roosting time is a pecking order time too. I would try to provide a better place for them to actually roost at night so they can decide to be close to each other , or not, and that may help a lot.
Feeding cooked and chopped egg, or scrambled egg will not make them egg eaters in the nest box. Most of the time egg eating starts when an egg is accidentally broken in the nest box or elsewhere, it's eaten and they discover they like it. Cooked/scrambled eggs are not going to be associated with the eggs they lay.

Also I watch them peck at their own backs all day long in my yard /: Usually when I check on them in the coop they are just laying there.

 

[gluckgluck9000]

Once a feather picker, always a feather picker. Other birds learn from the feather picker to pick feathers from others. It would be best to cull and start over.

Well, I have always wanted a silkie . I don't know if I can find it in myself to do so.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hi also one tablespoon a day for EACH chicken (2 total) or 1 for them both together? How should I feed it to them?

I would give one for them to share. I would mix 1/4 cup of their regular feed with warm water....just enough to make it like cooked oatmeal consistency after it has sat for 5 minutes then mix the fish in a little. It is fine if it is still in chunks. They will go nutty for it like it's a treat even though it is their regular feed. It may take a couple days for them to decide it is edible since it is new. Mix a fresh batch each morning. It gets gross and can mold if left overnight.

With just 2 birds are you buying the small bags of feed? I cannot imagine them going through a 50# bag before it went bad.

 

[gluckgluck9000]

I read your Intro so realized that funds are likely tight. That is one reason I suggested pallets.
For 2 birds you only need one nest box. Take the divider out on the end they don't use.
The floor door eats up floor space but would be a pain to move.

Lemme think on ways to make it better on the cheap.

Can you measure how tall the inside is please?

Hi I will look into prices, and the floor comes out in the top part of my current coop so I can clean it but I don't know if that helps at all. I will check the dimensions tomorrow when it's morning!

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[gluckgluck9000]

I would give one for them to share. I would mix 1/4 cup of their regular feed with warm water....just enough to make it like cooked oatmeal consistency after it has sat for 5 minutes then mix the fish in a little. It is fine if it is still in chunks. They will go nutty for it like it's a treat even though it is their regular feed. It may take a couple days for them to decide it is edible since it is new. Mix a fresh batch each morning. It gets gross and can mold if left overnight.

With just 2 birds are you buying the small bags of feed? I cannot imagine them going through a 50# bag before it went bad.

Perfect thanks!

And I buy the 50# bag of feed for them that my local shop makes up themselves, it lasts around a month and 1/2 and I keep it in a plastic bin with a lid. (which is why I don't have the ingredients bc I threw away the bag it comes in and mice were chewing through it).

 

[21hens-incharge]

Perfect thanks!

And I buy the 50# bag of feed for them that my local shop makes up themselves, it lasts around a month and 1/2 and I keep it in a plastic bin with a lid. (which is why I don't have the ingredients bc I threw away the bag it comes in and mice were chewing through it).

A month and a half is decent. If it was like 5-6 months the feed would be losing nutrients. Trying to think of any possible reason they would be plucking.


Is it from Feeders Supply?
They do a nice job.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Try pine tar from the feed store.