Salmon Favs and beard pecking

[HensInTheForest]

Hi all,

We have 2 salmon favs on the bottom of the order here out of 21.

One had some of her beard and muff feathers plucked out 2 weeks ago now the other is showing the same. Can see their neck skin. No blood thankfully.

Coating with hen healer w blu kote.
No idea which one or ones are doing it.

Any other suggestions? Beards have been dirty but they have been dirty before.

In Sept this happened to one of the EE, it staved off after the Hen Healer somewhat but not all. Then I also saw the EE picking out her own feathers under her chin. Ugh. Assume it was the smell of the Hen Healer she didn't like.

Not fatal just wondering about management. Thanks

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I have two SF and one Favacauna, they get dirty beards. some of the other hens will gently peck/clean their beards for them. It's kind of cute. Sorry to hear about the complete feathers gone.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I haven't personly had issues with salmon's beards but I do have one that occasionally has her cheek feathers picked at. The EE picking her own feathers makes me wonder about their protein intake. What are you feeding? It could also be because chickens are jerks and pick on the ones who are different lol.

 

[HensInTheForest]

I haven't personly had issues with salmon's beards but I do have one that occasionally has her cheek feathers picked at. The EE picking her own feathers makes me wonder about their protein intake. What are you feeding? It could also be because chickens are jerks and pick on the ones who are different lol.

Feeding FR solely.

The EE pecked the Hen Healer area and stopped once it was gone, I didn’t reapply.

 

[HensInTheForest]

My daughter corrects me - it’s the cheek feathers mostly.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Sounds like chicken mean girl stuff-sometimes they pick on the ones that are different. My first Salmons were my boss chickens so I didn't have problems with it. every time I've tried to integrate Salmons in since with an established flock they haven't done well. I have one girl right now and she is in a flock where my special needs (deformed feet) Australorp is the boss and there are two Delaware pullets in that flock and she is doing well in that setup but didn't manage in the bigger flock. It might get better but it might get worse. If you can figure out who is doing the picking you can separate her for a few days and see if that knocks her down in the pecking order.