Please help Matilda! Entire flock of Featherpickers? Need advice

[LA~Poulet]

We were given a flock of laying hens in May by a BYCer who had to get rid of them because of zoning. He said they were coming out of a molt, but because they were focusing so much energy on laying they were having a hard time growing their feathers back. They are laying almost daily.

They are all missing feathers to some degree-the leghorns mostly just at the tops of their tails, but the 2 barred rock hens are bald in large patches. The worst is poor Matilda, my favorite (friendliest) BR hen. After spending a long time watching them, I separated out the worst offenders but they ALL seem to be feather pickers. I tried using Quell anti-pick spray but it didn't seem to slow down the picking, and turned their skin red. I can't put them all in solitary confinement, I don't have the facilities.

I'm feeding them layer pellets, supplementing with healthy scraps (protein-cooked eggs, vegetables), oyster shell, and giving them Avia Charge in their water. They & the nest boxes have been sprinkled with DE and they are in a big tractor which is moved daily to fresh grass. I've been using cayenne pepper for a wormer as recommended here. I'm at my wits end, and am tempted to free range but am scared of predators, even under my pyr mix's watchful eye a hawk could swoop down. Please help!

What else can I do to help them grow their feathers back? I feel so bad for Matilda, especially, she's half naked (and understandably camera shy) but she's very unhappy separated from her flock. She actually has grown back a few feathers since I took the worst pluckers out, but isn't making much real progress.

Poor Matilda eyeballing the camera suspiciously

Matilda's back (and you can see the black leghorn's tail, that is what they all look like)

The other BR (Maggie's) tail, not as bad as Matilda's, but pretty rough

edit for a mistype

 

[dlhunicorn]

you might cut back on the amount of scraps and "extras" they get concentrating on just their feed, the aviacharge and the occasional yogurt. (free choice oyster shell of course course also)
Were they laying when you got them? How old are they?
You mention featherpicking in your subject line, but your post talks of missing feathers due to molt... which is it? (and are they EATING the feathers?) How long have you had them?

 

[LA~Poulet]

They aren't getting a large amount of scraps at all-they get about a handful per day (to share).

I think what happened is that they molted and now are picking any feathers that grow back? I've seen them pick each other (like I said, I took out the worst offenders-one was picking a minorca to the point of bleeding at her tailbone)

He told us they were about a year and a half old, and I got them in the beginning of May, not march as I mistyped, so I've had them for about 3 full months. They were laying when I got them, and the BR are still laying almost daily (about 5-6/week each) although the leghorns/minorcas are only giving an egg every couple days (I think due to the heat)

 

[Brindlebtch]

Can't feather picking be at least partly caused by not enough protein?

I would go to eggcartons.com and buy clip on peepers for the bunch ASAP. That should really help things a lot. They won't be able to focus on the end of their beaks but will be able to look down to eat.

 

[LA~Poulet]

Thank you brindle! That looks like exactly what I need!

Two questions if you've used them: Can they find the nest boxes with those on? Can they be applied without the pliers? (I only need to do it for a few hens)

 

[Brindlebtch]

I applied mine without pliers while DH held them, but I had to work it pretty hard. If you can't do it maybe DH can while you chicken hold. They all had an initial tantrum and then an 'Oh my God I can't see phase' and then they got used to them and everybody was pretty much normal. So I think they should be able to find the nest boxes just fine if they already know where they are.

I would also order some extras just in case you have more feather pickers than you think.

 

[enola]

I am curious about how much room your hens actually have in the tractor. I would like to also put my soon to be laying hens in a tractor and would like to know how much room they will need. I am also trying to keep mine from becoming feather pickers.....

 

[dlhunicorn]

yes, ... how big is your tractor and how many birds ?

 

[LA~Poulet]

they have about 10 sq. feet per bird, not including the nest box area, and it is moved daily to fresh grass. I also let them out sometimes in the afternoon to range under supervision.

 

[LA~Poulet]

Sorry, there are 6 hens. 2 BR, 2 brown leghorns & 2 black leghorns.