Roo Bad behavior

[Ruffers]

We have 9 chickens they are about 15 weeks old. 3 bantams (hens), 4 silkies (2 Roos their names are Gus and Feather Foot, 1 hen and 1 unknown), 2 Easter Eggers (1 hen, 1 roo his name is chip)
My Roos have taken turns being king of the coop. Today I witnessed something disturbing. That explains exposed white plumage on chips back where is tail starts, I had attributed it to puberty.
I threw treats in the run and feather foot, currently king of the coop, ripped out a mouth full of chips feathers and ate them. Chip ran away and later cautiously returned to then be chased off.
What to do???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You have too many roosters, you are going to have remove one or two, I would definitely remove the EE as he will be too large to mate your bantams. Pulling out the feathers is normal but eating them isn't always normal, so just do but other become feather pickers. Feather eating tend to come from a protein deficiency. What are you feeding them?

 

[Ruffers]

We feed them a local feed that is organic/ non gmo. Haven't moved them up to layers feed yet as per the suggestion of feed producer since no one is laying. There are lots of feathers laying around in the run from normal shedding so I know those are not being eaten. Funny thing about the size of these bird is the silkies are the same size or bigger than the EEs. Maybe I need to keep my bantams separate?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I keep my bantams separately, sometimes they can be bullied and do better away from larger breeds. Most non show quality silkie roosters get pretty big, they can be kept with large breeds because of it.

Sounds like it isn't a deficiency, my guess would be they are caught up in the moment and the excitement of the attack that they just swallow the feathers as opposed to trying to stop and get them out of their mouths which would be a distraction. Your roosters are pretty hormonal at their age, so they probably aren't thinking clearly either.

 

[Folly's place]

My birds eat feathers sometimes; I guess they taste good? They are all eating Flock Raiser, 20% protein, so I don't thin k there's a diet problem. Mary