Topic of the Week - Feather Pecking/Eating

[Jo Anne]

I have one looking like this now, she 's molting in January?

 

[Shezadandy]

I have one looking like this now, she 's molting in January?

Molting in January is completely possible. Not sure if you intended to post a picture but it didn't come through if you did.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I find it very interesting that some of you living in the regions of Africa and Australia without seasonal climate changes have experience little or no feather picking in your flocks. I wonder if those in southern California and Florida and Mexico and Hawaii have experience similar lack of picking in their flocks. It would be enlightening to know this.

We/Hawaii have our "feather pickers"

That's why I researching & came across this thread....

I had a RIR that would pick feather off others, chase down feathers flying in the wind but it wasn't and didn't get as severe as "bald" spots on others. Scrambled eggs & boiled eggs for a while "cured" the problem, I was at that time feeding layer crumbles.

The problem I'm having now is I have 5 Blue Wynadottes & there's only 2 being picked on by 1, I think.

I got them when they were about 6 - 7 months 3 were missing or lacking tail feathers, hence their names 1T, 2T & NT (1 tail feather, 2 tail feather & no tail feather). Dotty & Mohawk had tails, I was told they were with the mixed flock & the Roos were bothersome. They weren't laying, told to put them on layer as they would be soon which I did until the first bag was gone then switched them to Flock Raiser. It was about 2 months before they started laying. Feed store didn't get their shipment in so I had to put them back on layer until the shipment came in so I'm not mixing half/half until the layers gone. Yes, I have Oyster Shells on the side.

My dilemma - 2Ts tail has grown in, NT now has some tail feathers but suspect still being plucked, 1T now has 3 - 4 feathers. At a glance it's hard to tell them apart but I can tell them apart from their combs & tails

I strongly suspect Mohawk plucking tail feather however ONLY from NT & 1T! They're all from the same shipment (Dels/TSC March 2015) , from my observations NT & 1T are the lowest in the pecking order and laying last (1T before NT), they're all laying daily.

Reading this thread, I'm have no idea what the problem may be. Why is only 1 picking only the 2?
They're in a Run/Coop 8' x 12' x 7', got a plastic dog how for a nest box (had set up 2 but they all like the 1), I feed FF 2x (7AM & 3PM) day with veggie/fruit munchies or boiled eggs or oatmeal or kitchen scrapes (11AM) and Manna Pro Poultry Treat or MW scattered in their run (5pm). I don't allow them "free range" cause we got a neighbor with 2 Pits that "patrol" the fence & I've had others try to "check out the grass on the other side". Any ideas why only these two being plucked?

The person I got them from will be picking 2 up the end of next month, I get to keep 3. I'm thinking Mohawk (feather plucker) and Dotty will go with her, they tend to go in the nest about the same time along with 2T, 1T goes in later, NT goes in late morning or early afternoon. I'm thinking maybe then NT & 1T will grow tail feathers?

My concern is NT's tail above her vent is bald, I don't want her getting injured. Thought of spraying with Blu Kote to "color" it but not sure if it would drawn attention to the area. Any other ideas?

Their Run/Coop

1T is up front, NT is on the far left, Dotty, 2T, Mohawk behind 2T

 

[Beekissed]

We/Hawaii have our "feather pickers"

That's why I researching & came across this thread....

I had a RIR that would pick feather off others, chase down feathers flying in the wind but it wasn't and didn't get as severe as "bald" spots on others. Scrambled eggs & boiled eggs for a while "cured" the problem, I was at that time feeding layer crumbles.

The problem I'm having now is I have 5 Blue Wynadottes & there's only 2 being picked on by 1, I think.

I got them when they were about 6 - 7 months 3 were missing or lacking tail feathers, hence their names 1T, 2T & NT (1 tail feather, 2 tail feather & no tail feather). Dotty & Mohawk had tails, I was told they were with the mixed flock & the Roos were bothersome. They weren't laying, told to put them on layer as they would be soon which I did until the first bag was gone then switched them to Flock Raiser. It was about 2 months before they started laying. Feed store didn't get their shipment in so I had to put them back on layer until the shipment came in so I'm not mixing half/half until the layers gone. Yes, I have Oyster Shells on the side.

My dilemma - 2Ts tail has grown in, NT now has some tail feathers but suspect still being plucked, 1T now has 3 - 4 feathers. At a glance it's hard to tell them apart but I can tell them apart from their combs & tails

I strongly suspect Mohawk plucking tail feather however ONLY from NT & 1T! They're all from the same shipment (Dels/TSC March 2015) , from my observations NT & 1T are the lowest in the pecking order and laying last (1T before NT), they're all laying daily.

Reading this thread, I'm have no idea what the problem may be. Why is only 1 picking only the 2?
They're in a Run/Coop 8' x 12' x 7', got a plastic dog how for a nest box (had set up 2 but they all like the 1), I feed FF 2x (7AM & 3PM) day with veggie/fruit munchies or boiled eggs or oatmeal or kitchen scrapes (11AM) and Manna Pro Poultry Treat or MW scattered in their run (5pm). I don't allow them "free range" cause we got a neighbor with 2 Pits that "patrol" the fence & I've had others try to "check out the grass on the other side". Any ideas why only these two being plucked?

The person I got them from will be picking 2 up the end of next month, I get to keep 3. I'm thinking Mohawk (feather plucker) and Dotty will go with her, they tend to go in the nest about the same time along with 2T, 1T goes in later, NT goes in late morning or early afternoon. I'm thinking maybe then NT & 1T will grow tail feathers?

My concern is NT's tail above her vent is bald, I don't want her getting injured. Thought of spraying with Blu Kote to "color" it but not sure if it would drawn attention to the area. Any other ideas?

Their Run/Coop

1T is up front, NT is on the far left, Dotty, 2T, Mohawk behind 2T

I've never had a feather picker in 40 yrs of chickens and I think it has to do with them being free ranged all the time. Any way you can free range them for a good portion of the day? By the looks of their run they have absolutely nothing to do with their time....pine shavings on the floor with no bugs to scratch for, no distractions of different levels of being....no stumps, rocks or anything to get up on, etc. They are probably bored silly.

Chickens are foraging animals...this keeps them busy, satisfies their urge to peck and eat things, and provides essential exercise. Yours have nothing to forage but one another. Maybe you could give them a healthy deep litter in that run, with varied materials like leaves, food scraps, weeds, flower trimmings, twigs, dried grass, etc. Build it deep and let moisture into it so that it composts down and attracts bugs to it. Hang them up some fruit or veggies or suet for pecking at...some people have a soldier fly setup so that maggots drop out of it and the chickens get to forage for those. Provide loose minerals like kelp meal free choice for extra minerals and vitamins. Throw something in there every day that they can peck at or scratch for or something....you are surrounded by the sea, any way you can get them some goodies from the ocean?

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Toss in a handful of bugs, or cat food, or, meat scraps from supper. They need protein to grow feathers. Oyster shell is more making egg shell.
I have had up to 35 birds, all mixed flock...and I am new at raising poultry. 2011. I have not had any feather pickers.
Now, I gave one of the cockerels to the man across the street. He is raising some. But now that rooster is missing neck feathers. Neighbor won't free range. Those birds are bored silly.

I also deal with dogs, hawks, etc. You can also do a movable pen, so they are still semi-protected. They will get grrass, and bugs, and entertainment.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I've never had a feather picker in 40 yrs of chickens and I think it has to do with them being free ranged all the time. Any way you can free range them for a good portion of the day? By the looks of their run they have absolutely nothing to do with their time....pine shavings on the floor with no bugs to scratch for, no distractions of different levels of being....no stumps, rocks or anything to get up on, etc. They are probably bored silly.

Chickens are foraging animals...this keeps them busy, satisfies their urge to peck and eat things, and provides essential exercise. Yours have nothing to forage but one another. Maybe you could give them a healthy deep litter in that run, with varied materials like leaves, food scraps, weeds, flower trimmings, twigs, dried grass, etc. Build it deep and let moisture into it so that it composts down and attracts bugs to it. Hang them up some fruit or veggies or suet for pecking at...some people have a soldier fly setup so that maggots drop out of it and the chickens get to forage for those. Provide loose minerals like kelp meal free choice for extra minerals and vitamins. Throw something in there every day that they can peck at or scratch for or something....you are surrounded by the sea, any way you can get them some goodies from the ocean?

Toss in a handful of bugs, or cat food, or, meat scraps from supper. They need protein to grow feathers. Oyster shell is more making egg shell.
I have had up to 35 birds, all mixed flock...and I am new at raising poultry. 2011. I have not had any feather pickers.
Now, I gave one of the cockerels to the man across the street. He is raising some. But now that rooster is missing neck feathers. Neighbor won't free range. Those birds are bored silly.

I also deal with dogs, hawks, etc. You can also do a movable pen, so they are still semi-protected. They will get grrass, and bugs, and entertainment.

Looks like they'll get some free ranging time under supervision. Don't trust the neighbors dogs, they stand at the fence & watch too intensely

Thank you all

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Quote: I do understand about neighbor dogs. I lost my oldest hen to one just the second week of January. And she wasn't even out free ranging. they destroyed her chicken tractor to get to her.

The hawks I trust less. I keep roosters in the flock to alert. My one prize rooster, and EE, he was the only rooster to actually fight the hawk. the rest will just alert. But the girls and babies know to run for cover. I have only lost 1 hen to a hawk, this past Nov. She was molting, and seemed to be in pain. So she couldn't get away. Me, I was on the phone, and merely thought I hear the egg song. Duh. I am paying much closer attention now.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I do understand about neighbor dogs. I lost my oldest hen to one just the second week of January. And she wasn't even out free ranging. they destroyed her chicken tractor to get to her.

The hawks I trust less. I keep roosters in the flock to alert. My one prize rooster, and EE, he was the only rooster to actually fight the hawk. the rest will just alert. But the girls and babies know to run for cover. I have only lost 1 hen to a hawk, this past Nov. She was molting, and seemed to be in pain. So she couldn't get away. Me, I was on the phone, and merely thought I hear the egg song. Duh. I am paying much closer attention now.

Sorry for your loss, we have hawks too and they're protected.

It was in the paper just yesterday, neighbor dogs (2) killed a guys breeding stock of Fighting Cocks (23) & hens (3), a line that he had developed over several years. Revenues were going towards the guy's daughter's college tuition, now they're in a financial dilemma.....Estimated cost for replacing Roos $10K, breeding hens $4K, estimated production loss (5yrs) $140K, projected revenue loss (3yr) needed to raise breeder hens to productivity $14K.....Not including the repairs to coops/runs and disappointed buyers.

I've free ranged in the past, still had some feather picking which got resolved with upping the protein (boiled and/or scrambled eggs, mealworms) but it's not helping with this set. Will try supervised free ranging but I'm looking forward to the Owner picking up two which will include the one doing the picking next month

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Quote: I believe hawks are protected by Federal laws in USA. I just look at it that the wild animals have to eat too. Neighborhood dogs, on the other hand, just kill for fun. They do not need the chickens to survive.

 

[chickens really]

Feather picking is caused by either of these factors...
Too Hot
Too crowded
Short of fresh air
Lack of protein
Or the coop is to brightly lit........
Putting Vaseline on the picked areas will help to prevent further picking......Once it starts it is hard to stop.....


Cheers!