What percentage protein is your layer feed and do you feed anything else in the way of feed or treats?
Feather picking can be associated with boredom, usually due to confinement or lack of space, but your girls look to have plenty of space in the photo
OR
lack of protein. If you are feeding them too many low protein treats like scratch grains/pasta/bread/rice and veggies then that will dilute their overall protein intake. High carbohydrate feeds can also cause obesity which leads to fatty deposits around the organs and results in health issues(just like in humans), so you do need to be quite strict about how much scratch and other treats like that, you give them.
You might be better switching to a higher protein grower or feather fixer feed whilst you also tackle the habitual behaviour via pinless peepers. Also putting some obstacles in their run for them to perch on or hide behind etc and perhaps placing their pellets in plastic bottles in the run with a small hole cut into them, rather than being freely dispensed in a feeder will help to encourage them to scratch and roll the bottles to get feed and provide stimulation other than pulling flock mates feathers out. Being able to sate their appetite too quickly at a feeder leaves plenty of time to find other mischief to get into, particularly for more intelligent or flighty birds.
Feather picking can be associated with boredom, usually due to confinement or lack of space, but your girls look to have plenty of space in the photo
OR
lack of protein. If you are feeding them too many low protein treats like scratch grains/pasta/bread/rice and veggies then that will dilute their overall protein intake. High carbohydrate feeds can also cause obesity which leads to fatty deposits around the organs and results in health issues(just like in humans), so you do need to be quite strict about how much scratch and other treats like that, you give them.
You might be better switching to a higher protein grower or feather fixer feed whilst you also tackle the habitual behaviour via pinless peepers. Also putting some obstacles in their run for them to perch on or hide behind etc and perhaps placing their pellets in plastic bottles in the run with a small hole cut into them, rather than being freely dispensed in a feeder will help to encourage them to scratch and roll the bottles to get feed and provide stimulation other than pulling flock mates feathers out. Being able to sate their appetite too quickly at a feeder leaves plenty of time to find other mischief to get into, particularly for more intelligent or flighty birds.
