Plucky little bully pullet

[FunClucks]

So, I had a very similar problem. When I introduced my 6-8 wk pullets into their spacious outdoor covered run/coop, one of them decided to pluck all the feathers off the back of another pullet. Like, 100+ feathers in less than an hour. We tried to isolate in the garage, and reintroduce a few days later, but she kept doing it. She was too young/small for pinless peepers (that I knew of at the time, maybe they make smaller ones now?), and I didn't want other birds to learn the same bad habit so I rehomed her. In her new home, she is free range most if not all the time, and other birds can run away a lot better. Also she was on the bottom, not the top of the pecking order, which should help her learn some manners.

I fed them 20% purina All Flock (plenty of protein), and had no problems in the brooder, just once I introduced them outside.

 

[mandymuddymonkey]

For small young birds, discipline is the method I use when a chick is bullying or feather snatching. When she goes for a victim, be on the ready. You will use your finger as a "beak" and discipline the junior bully by "pecking" her on the back of the head when you see her employ her aggressive agenda.

Okay, I tried this (thank you for the suggestion; I'm never sure how "aggressive" to get with things like this, not wanting to do more harm than good). I spent a good bit of time out there with them. She's kinda ninja-fast, so taps aimed at the back of her head tended to turn into light swats on her back, but she didn't like that either, so I think it's just as well. But just when I think she's getting the picture, she does it again. I have left them to it for a short bit and will see if maybe me being out there is starting to stress them out. The problem with the light discipline is they all freak out a bit every time it happens. Fingers crossed, we'll see. She does seem less fixated overall with plucking feathers. I also dangled some dandelion leaves for them to play with.

Could you post some pictures of Polly for us?

Here are a couple of pics. First is Polly, my little Olive Egger Mohawked Punk. If any of them turn out to be roosters, my money is on her, ha. Second is all four of them after about 20 minutes of the disciplining. That wore them all out and they went down for a nap. I should say the barrier you see behind them is temporary, and they usually also have full access to that other section. I just blocked it to carry out @azygous' suggestion, because she has definitely figured out she can escape into the other section to get away from me. The other three are Lady Sybil, a barnveldter, Sally, a copper marans, and Lady Margolotta (Margo), a black onyx. All three of them are super chill when Polly isn't terrorizing them.

 

[mandymuddymonkey]

had no problems in the brooder, just once I introduced them outside.

Yes, that's what is so weird! It was once they were all outside with all the extra room, that she started doing it. Neither of the other two times I've raised chicks has this happened. Maybe the outdoors was just overstimulating or something. They were also outside on the 4th, with the fireworks going off, and the behaviour started the next day, so that could frankly be a factor, maybe she's suffering from some ptsd. Though the others seemed to take that in stride.

I'm confident once these pullets are big enough to mingle with the two older hens, that if she's still up to this that they'll straighten her right out. Fingers crossed. I did try the suggestion above to tap/lightly swat her every time she did it, and it does seem to have chilled her out a little. I'll have to check on them in a bit to see if it stuck.

 

[mandymuddymonkey]

Okay, update 3, y'all. After spending the time on the light discipline, I thought we might be good, and I let her roost with the rest for the night. Then this morning she was right back at it, and drove them all up to hide in the roost to get away from her. So she's back in detention. I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I can try isolating her for longer, then try again? Or I can just wait until they're all big enough to mix with the bigger birds. I can also rehome her, though I'd like to make absolutely sure she isn't a rooster before I try to do that.

 

[azygous]

You may have one that is hard wired to bully and pick feathers. I've had several of these types, and discipline doesn't work. I've found with these hard wired bullies, when they are high on hormones, the behavior is much worse. Spring is awful. Winter isn't so bad.

I experimented with triptophan, putting it in the food of these hard wired bullies. You could give it a try. It has a sedative effect on them. Commercial poultry houses often use it to reduce bullying. I bought some in bulk from Amazon. Typtophan is an amino acid (protein) so overdose isn't a big risk. As I said, the chicken may act drowsy is all.

 

[azygous]

You can get tryptophan capsules and just push one into her beak at the time of day she starts to really wind up. You may need to experiment with dosage, and I see no reason a pullet can't have the tryptophan.

 

[FunClucks]

You can get tryptophan capsules and just push one into her beak at the time of day she starts to really wind up. You may need to experiment with dosage, and I see no reason a pullet can't have the tryptophan.

What dosage did you use for full grown standard hens? Mine are 4-6 lbs or so.

 

[azygous]

Tryptophan is like a steak or pork chop. It's protein, or rather a component of protein. Dosage isn't precise as with an antibiotic. I would titrate with a half a capsule to start with. Or if you get the loose powder, start with a fourth of a teaspoon mixed into something she likes. A piece of bread soaked in olive oil and then used to sop up the tryptophan powder might be one way to administer it.

Have you noticed her behavior being more intense at one time of day in particular? Often, after noon is a period when this type of behavior ramps up. But your pullet may have another pattern. You should observe her and nail this down to a time of day when the tryptophan would do the most good.

 

[FunClucks]

Tryptophan is like a steak or pork chop. It's protein, or rather a component of protein. Dosage isn't precise as with an antibiotic. I would titrate with a half a capsule to start with. Or if you get the loose powder, start with a fourth of a teaspoon mixed into something she likes. A piece of bread soaked in olive oil and then used to sop up the tryptophan powder might be one way to administer it.

Have you noticed her behavior being more intense at one time of day in particular? Often, after noon is a period when this type of behavior ramps up. But your pullet may have another pattern. You should observe her and nail this down to a time of day when the tryptophan would do the most good.

I currently have 2.5 month old pullets and a cockerel - one or more of the pullets are pulling the feathers out and/or eating feathers off the back of the cockerel. 3/4 of his back is denuded with evidence of feather plucking and occasional re-growth. He finally got old enough I could put a chicken saddle on him, but regardless of how often or long I'm out there I can't identify the culprit. The pullets aren't big enough for pinless peepers, and who ever is doing it is only going after this one cockerel. All I can figure is it happens on the roost some time. I keep a close eye at night when they go to bed until it's fully dark, but haven't seen anything.

I have a separate coop/flock with 11 laying hens, 3-4 of which are just over a year old, and are eating feathers. I may try and see if the tryptophan helps them stop this behavior - pinless peepers have only had moderate success. I already feed them 20% Purina all-flock with oystershell on the side. Again, I rarely see them do it, so I will assume anyone with good feathers is eating those who have eaten feathers. I reduced the number of chickens in this coop, added pinless peepers, rehomed two bullies (and they were excellent egg layers so I hated to do it!), and the run has plenty of clutter, but feathers are still being eaten in this flock.

 

[LaFleche]

I currently have 2.5 month old pullets and a cockerel - one or more of the pullets are pulling the feathers out and/or eating feathers off the back of the cockerel. 3/4 of his back is denuded with evidence of feather plucking and occasional re-growth. He finally got old enough I could put a chicken saddle on him, but regardless of how often or long I'm out there I can't identify the culprit. The pullets aren't big enough for pinless peepers, and who ever is doing it is only going after this one cockerel. All I can figure is it happens on the roost some time. I keep a close eye at night when they go to bed until it's fully dark, but haven't seen anything.

I have a separate coop/flock with 11 laying hens, 3-4 of which are just over a year old, and are eating feathers. I may try and see if the tryptophan helps them stop this behavior - pinless peepers have only had moderate success. I already feed them 20% Purina all-flock with oystershell on the side. Again, I rarely see them do it, so I will assume anyone with good feathers is eating those who have eaten feathers. I reduced the number of chickens in this coop, added pinless peepers, rehomed two bullies (and they were excellent egg layers so I hated to do it!), and the run has plenty of clutter, but feathers are still being eaten in this flock.

They might be craving some animal protein and aminoacids as prefabricated pellet feed nowadays often contains only plant based protein.

Try feeding them some scrambled eggs, curds/cottage cheese in addition to their usual pellets and monitor if the feather plucking and eating will subside.