naked chickens. Need some advice

[millejn3]

Ok here goes. I have about 20 hens that we use for egg production. When I say egg production I mean I buy all of the feed and collect the eggs and the kids sell the eggs and get the money.

Im in central IL so the winters are pretty cold here. During the cold spells I shut the doors on the barn to keep them in out of the sometimes 30 to 35 below wind chills. Inside the barn I made a tent like contrapsion out of tarps and added 2 heat lamps to help keep it a little warmer. They laid eggs all winter long. They were free to roam the inside of the barn so they had plenty of room. About have way through the winter I started noticing that most all of the hens were starting to loose the feathers on thier backs. It didnt take long to figure out that they were pecking each other. Now its spring and I have naked backed chickens. Some are worse than other. I might add that weather permitting they are turn out daily and free to roam until they decide its to go back to the barn to roost.

Is this a common probblem and if so how can I prevent it because it seems that they have never really stopped pecking the feathers off each others back sense this ordeal started.

 

[Beekissed]

They say that feather picking indicates a lack of adequate protein in the diet and sometimes can mean they don't have enough space in the coop. They also say you can spray Blu-Kote on their backs so as to disguise the new pinfeather growth and it will deter them from picking them out. I've also heard folks say that it helps to add salt to their water, as they have grown accustomed to that salty taste of blood from picking the new feather growth out.

I've never had this problem, so I have no first hand experiences to offer. Hope this helps!!

 

[Kittymomma]

Are you sure that they were pecking each other? If they were around 18 months old at the time they may have been molting, though egg production usually drops dramatically if that was the case.

 

[dmccann]

I feel your pain, i have pecking problems also istill have two of my girls seperated from the other 5, i tried i think every thing i now ordered peepers and i am going to buy a flock block, i dusted for lice,i increased protien i took the one to the vets,she was on an antibotic , she started to heal then bingo back to square one the others will pull at her feathers when she walks by their fence she is still wearing a coat, good luck

 

[gckiddhouse]

Ugh! I have had experience with this problem. It sucks. There is probably one hen that started it, but they teach the others to do it. There is really no way to stop them. You can blue Kote to your heart's content. If you can observe them and identify the hen that instigates it, then removing her might help.

I ended up putting saddles with wing protectors on all my hens. You can buy them from a couple of BYCers or make your own if you are someone who sews and has a snap machine. This is the only way I got mine to grow feathers. If you can keep them from doing it for a while, they might stop. I started with saddles, but when I covered their backs, they started picking each others wings. That is how I ended up with the ones with wing protectors.

This is not an easy problem to fix. I wish you luck. Be aggressive or you will always have ugly hens.

 

[millejn3]

I feed them nutriena layer feed with about 50% cracked corn. Is this correct? Do I need to aid something else? I only have 20 hens in about a 16' x 20' inside arear and the run outside is 20'x8'. This time of the year they are turned out around non or 1pm and allowed to return when ever they wish. After dark I go out and shut the pen door untill the next day.

 

[gckiddhouse]

I changed their feed and we give lots of treats. My chickens are healthy. I don't think that nutrition is the problem, but a flock block may help. I think bordom and a spreading bad habit is the problem.

 

[dmccann]

on of the experts told me to cut the corn way back, i did but still have these problems, can not wait till the peepers come in

 

[millejn3]

I just hatched my first batch B-C-marans hatch and getting ready for a big setting in about a week so by fall I will kull most of what I have now. Hopefully this will solve the probblem. Not all of them are naked. Most of the astrolorps and silver laced/Wy are.

Thank you everyone for your help and input.

 

[katy68]

chickens need like, alot of space to be in and with 12 chicks at about 2-3 weeks old you should put them in a coop not a hutch. just dont let them out into the run just yet if your wire is more than1". we have 2" wire on ours and we have 2 keep them in the house part because they were pecking their feathers out. we put them in a bigger space and they seem more happy now.