Pecking feathers off...

[ADVaughn]

I have a black Frizzle Cochin bantam that suddenly has a bare spot on her back just in front of the tail. The day we noticed it we also notice the silver Seabright bantam peck at that location. We haven't seen her actually pull feathers out but suspect that may be why it is happening. I know therr have been posts on this before but I'm a bit lazy about scrolling through to find them and mynsesrch function gives me an error message when I use it. Thanks for any advice you have!

 

[jackie crawford]

Help! My white bantam is doing the same! Blue kote is not working!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Do either of you have cockerels or roosters? If so, I'd look at that as the most likely cause. If you have an all hen flock or have seen feather picking going on you need to provide more protein, or more room, or a combination.

 

[ADVaughn]

Do either of you have cockerels or roosters? If so, I'd look at that as the most likely cause. If you have an all hen flock or have seen feather picking going on you need to provide more protein, or more room, or a combination.

We had roosters but not in the bantam coop or with access to them. I think maybe they're too crowded. It is a coop big enough for 4 regular hens supposedly and we have 4 bantam in there but they seem a bit cramped.

 

[aart]

It is a coop big enough for 4 regular hens supposedly

What does this mean in feet by feet?
Pics would be a big help.

Crowding and/or low protein, especially animal protein, can definitely set of a spate of feather pecking...it can turn into just a bad habit if not corrected sooner.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you have bought your coop, and are believing the manufacturer's representation of how many birds your coop can safely hold, you have been grossly misled. Lf birds should have a minimum of 4 s.f. in the coop per bird, and 10 s.f. in the run per bird. Bantams can get by with a bit less space. Any tighter spacing will lead to behavior and possibly disease issues and make management more difficult.

 

[ADVaughn]

Definitely a space issue. They get plenty of protein. We are going to get rid of one, maybe two, of the bantams and we should be ok.

 

[jackie crawford]

Help! My white Orpington hen is still plucking her back feathers and actually eating herself!! She is a bloody mess! I have 2 other hens and they are all free range. The Orpington just stays in the coop! I have sprayed her with bedodine and blue kote. I have been feeding her a scrambled egg every day or every other day. I don't see any mites and if they were microscopic I would think my others would have it.. what should I do! She doesn't appear broody, she isn't sitting in the box or anything..

 

[aart]

Help! My white Orpington hen is still plucking her back feathers and actually eating herself!! She is a bloody mess! I have 2 other hens and they are all free range. The Orpington just stays in the coop! I have sprayed her with bedodine and blue kote. I have been feeding her a scrambled egg every day or every other day. I don't see any mites and if they were microscopic I would think my others would have it.. what should I do! She doesn't appear broody, she isn't sitting in the box or anything..

I've had them try to preen the blukote off, stopped using it for that reason.

Not sure what the situation is here but need more details and it might be best to start a new thread with those details..age and gender of birds, size of coop and run, what feeding, etc.