Now What?

[7L Farm]

I have one of my hens in my brooder shed which has a window unit for heat or cold. The temp is set on 58. She's not sick I put her there so she could grow her feathers back. Her flock mates had dang near pecked all her feathers out. I've been putting her in her run everyday but the last couple of days its been real windy & cold so she's been in the shed. Today its cold but no wind & the suns out.
Her feathers are coming back & she just needs to grow her tail feathers. I want to put her in her run today for exercise & to stay in touch with her flock. Think she will be fine ? It will probably get in the 40's today. I don't want her to get sick poor thing has been thru hell.

 

[chicmom]

Why not give her a buddy to be with until her feathers grow back. Taking her out is good, but when you do, and she goes back into the flock, she'll be treat as a newbie, and probably get picked on again at least a little bit.......So maybe you could give her a friend or even two to keep her company, then they'll all be newbies and the focus of the flock won't be on just one chicken.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I'm scared they will pick each others feathers. Maybe your right guess there's no way to know unless I do it. It won't be long & I'll need to put her back with the flock.The flock see's her because they free range & she's locked in their run. Its a big mess the flock has been feather picking each other forever. I removed her because they picked her clean. No blood just feathers. I don't know what to do. I got avian charge & I'm feeding them GBS & 17% laying pellets in equal porteins. I'm hoping it will help the flock grow their feathers back. So far I can't see much change.

 

[chicmom]

How big is your run and how many chickens do you have? Also, how old are they? They could be molting....Some molting chickens look just awful--nearly naked. This molting starts usually in their second Autumn.

Another reason they might be pulling feathers is that they might be too crowded. Do you think they seem crowded?

And have you checked them out for tiny critters like mites or lice?

These are just suggestions.....things that come to mind......I wish I could be more helpful. Blue Cote is a great product that comes in a spray, and you can spray their bald spots with it. It paints them bright royal blue, but it helps the wounds heal, if they have any sores from pecking, and the blue coloring isn't attractive to chickens.

Good luck to you and let me know how things go,

Sharon

 

[7L Farm]

I have 10 hens & 1 roo in a 80 sq ft coop with a 150 sq ft run plus they free range everyday. No bugs on the chickens. Its down home feather picking they have done it for a year now. They just pick the feathers no sores are blood. I guess I'll get one on the roost this evening & add her to the one I have in my brooder shed. That way she will have a buddy & then when their both fully feathered out. I'll add them back to the flock & take two more & put them in the brooder room let them feather out & so on. I'm tired of looking at them. I have 16 pullets that are their offspring that are beautiful not missing one feather they have their own coop.

 

[chicmom]

If they've been doing that for a year, why don't you consider taking them to auction, or having the processed? Are you attached to them? (If so, sorry to offend.)

Sounds like you've got plenty of space.....What about things for them to do? Could they be bored? Can you throw in some scratch grains or some autumn leaves for them to scratch around in or a flake of straw? Maybe you could let them free range a bit?

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
You didn't offend me. I really don't want to kill them. I'm dead set on fixin them. I have their run full of leaves & they free range everyday. I throw them some BOSS in their run everyday when putting them up.

 

[7L Farm]

Well, I added another hen & now the one I added is getting beat up on by the other. Guess, I'll put both in their run today & see how that goes. Yall, said she needed a friend . I don't know maybe they will work things out in their run at least there will be more room to get away from each other If need be. Yes, I agree chickens are social but I'm beginning to think mine are social misfits.

 

[Lollipop]

Hmmm, I might have missed something here. What do you feed them? Feathers are mostly protien. Sounds like a little extra protien might curb the feather picking.......Whadda you think?........Pop

 

[7L Farm]

Right now I'm feeding them one scoop GBS & one scoop of 17% laying pellets. I'm giving them a ton of protein so their feathers will grow back hopefully.