Pecking out other birds feathers

missmimz

Songster
6 Years
Dec 5, 2014
59
21
106
Arizona
I have three 11 1/2 week old pullets and two have been pecking out the feathers on the EE. I think it originally started because of a space issue, but they're now out in the big girls coop at night and free roaming during the day, but now the EE has a huge bald spot in the front. I have her isolated in a smaller coop by herself and I sprayed her bald area with vetericyn wound and skin since she's bleeding a little, but she's upset being in the smaller dog pen by herself. Can i put some gauze over the area to try and stop the other birds from pecking her? how long do i need to keep her isolated for? I don't know what to do to stop these other birds from pecking at her. I thought the issue would resolve once they were outside free ranging, but apparently not.

I don't think this is a protein issue either. They're eating high quality grower feed, I give some dried black soldier fly larvae (good cluckin grubs) for extra protein too. My older birds are not doing this, it's just her other flockmates.
 
Spray the area with bluekote and put it down while the spray is still wet, generally others will peck and get a nasty flavor. Reapply as necessary. If the pecking continues try separating out the bully. All separating should happen within the coop otherwise you will have even more pecking returning a removed bird.
 
Possibly a space issue..Or your Grower is getting diluted by other snacks given daily?
Also a trick is use Vaseline with Cayenne pepper powder mixed in and put on the Bird..Chickens hate Vaseline and Cayenne pepper..It deters the feather pecking.
 
could also be a protein deficiency
may try to give some animal protein for a bit (tuna, canned mackerel, cat food, dog food, koi fish pellets, etc) keep in mind cat food is high in sodium so dont use too much
but def put some blukote, or something on the bare spot to keep the others from picking
 
If it's directed towards one bird it's unlikely to be a deficiency. Is your EE smaller than the other breeds? Caging the bullies often works as they lose their place in the pecking order. But sometimes chickens just don't get along. My Mum has had her sweet as pie Orpington bullied by a much smaller hen who was keeping her from eating properly despite multiple feeding stations. They can be frustrating animals!
 
I've got a flock of five 11 month old hens who have been perfectly easy to deal with until recently -- one of them (a buff orpington) has started pecking the feathers out of 2-3 of the others! She started out somewhat low on the pecking order as far as I can tell, not the bottom, but kind of in the "low key, get along middle" and now she has pecked two huge bare spots on two different birds -- the only one who seems un-pecked by her is the top hen. Is she climbing the ladder???

I read up on this before posting -- NOTHING about their environment or food has changed...

They have a ton of coop and run space -- and get out to forage at least an hour a day...

I started supplementing protein rich foods when this started -- scrambled eggs, sprouted lentils...

I hang some new fruit or veg daily to peck at instead...

I'm STUMPED.

I'm going to buy a small cheap dog crate tomorrow and keep her in the run but separated... is that the right next step??

If the crate has food and water, is there any harm in this? (Won't she get MORE bored and lash out more?)

Any advice on crate size?

How long do i keep her out of the flock?

What about when it's time to go "out" of the run into the big world... Do I leave her in the crate or let her forage with the others?

How about at night, put the cage right in the in the coop?

On the floor?

Or let her up to bed like normal? (I don't know if she pecks at night??)

What about egg laying? Let her just lay on the floor of the crate?

Please offer advice -- or if you can suggest anything else it might be besides boredom/space/protein -- i'm maxed out on those subjects.

Help! Wah!
(Thanks!!!!)
 
I've got a flock of five 11 month old hens who have been perfectly easy to deal with until recently -- one of them (a buff orpington) has started pecking the feathers out of 2-3 of the others! She started out somewhat low on the pecking order as far as I can tell, not the bottom, but kind of in the "low key, get along middle" and now she has pecked two huge bare spots on two different birds -- the only one who seems un-pecked by her is the top hen. Is she climbing the ladder???

I read up on this before posting -- NOTHING about their environment or food has changed...

They have a ton of coop and run space -- and get out to forage at least an hour a day...

I started supplementing protein rich foods when this started -- scrambled eggs, sprouted lentils...

I hang some new fruit or veg daily to peck at instead...

I'm STUMPED.

I'm going to buy a small cheap dog crate tomorrow and keep her in the run but separated... is that the right next step??

If the crate has food and water, is there any harm in this? (Won't she get MORE bored and lash out more?)

Any advice on crate size?

How long do i keep her out of the flock?

What about when it's time to go "out" of the run into the big world... Do I leave her in the crate or let her forage with the others?

How about at night, put the cage right in the in the coop?

On the floor?

Or let her up to bed like normal? (I don't know if she pecks at night??)

What about egg laying? Let her just lay on the floor of the crate?

Please offer advice -- or if you can suggest anything else it might be besides boredom/space/protein -- i'm maxed out on those subjects.

Help! Wah!
(Thanks!!!!)
How big is their environment? This time of year hormones are surging in birds due to increasing daylight. Some get a bit hyped up. Yours are at an age where they would be feeling a bit eager to lay, and reproduce. Climbing that pecking order helps a hen to get more resources for her potential offspring.

Giving your birds more stuff to do may help, or adding stuff to their set up so other birds can get away. Things to get up on, under or go behind to break up line of sight.

Separating may help. Things should calm down when weather warms and birds need to expand energy staying cool.
 

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