Progress with feathers pecking

tpantali

In the Brooder
12 Years
May 16, 2007
58
0
39
Finger Lakes New York
Not really sure about the best place to post this but this seems to make sense.

We have had a terrible problem with pecking this winter. About 75% of our girls have no feathers what so ever on their, not sure of the technical term but
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, rump. Y'all can probably help me out with the name. Anyway, some of the girls were even bleeding, bruising and have scabs the size of a nickel. I was just sick over it. Our landlords who have the most chickens in the coop, did not seem to care and it is mostly their girls who are suffering. I had to take some sort of action.

So, after researching, this website primarily, I came up with an action plan. It sounds very stranee to me but following the advice of a post here, I put desitin and tums on them. Then we began over loading them with protein. We could not find any of the recommended supplements so we went directly with feeding them their own eggs, quinoa and oats. We have also hung carrots and cabbage from the rafters in the coop to, hopefully, keep them busy. They rarely come out when it is cold but we do open their door everyday.

This all began on Wednesday. Yesterday we went out to put more desitin and tums on them and two of the girls already have feathers growing back in
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Regardless, I am very pleased so far and hope to see continued improvement. I am certain that the majoirty of the problem was/is lack of protein. They seem so much happier now and we are going to just continue giving them more protein.

Any other advice or information is appreciated!!
 
Sounds like so far you are doing good things! I've never had to take care of that particular problem, but you are correct in saying that lack of protein & boredom can both make chickens pick at each other.
 
Black oil sunflower seed has 30% protein and has methione which is required for feather growth. You can feed the same ones one buys for wild birds, shell and all.
 

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