Very bad feather plucking issue

[Chickenrandomness]

My chickens are getting plucked to death! i have 5 chickens, 2 cockerels, 3 pullets. 2 of my pullets and both of my cockerels are getting plucked a ton! (the other pullet isn't doing it for sure because she lowest in the pecking order, plus she is too sweet to do such a thing!

) anyways, my poor brahma's back is completly bare, and her wings are starting to become featherless. i have only one picture of her back, and its not at the best angle

here is when we first got her:

and here is only a few days ago:

my parents think this is completly fine, but today, i found something worse! Esther, my EE, had a cut on her wing. there was a bit of blood on one of the perches to. i'm worried, and my parents don't do anything, or let me do anything! they say no saddles, no more hens (to outnumber the cockerels abit more to keep them busy), nothing! what should i do?

 

[Chickenrandomness]

please i need help!

 

[CCourson05]

The back is more likely to be rooster damage than feather picking. My hens peck the butt area, and the thigh region...Sadly, the only thing I know to do is up protein without separating and using P.P.'s...

 

[Katy]

Looks like feather damage from breeding. She's probably the roos' favorite.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Lack of space, lack of protein and too many cockerals. It's probably a combination of all three issues. If your parent are unwilling to let you do anything to remedy the situation, it would be best to give the birds away. As it stands now, it will ony get worse.

Sorry, but sometimes that's the best answer.

 

[chickee]

Since your roosters are getting plucked also, I would suspect the hen that is not getting plucked is doing the the feather pulling. She might be low in protein and eating the feathers of the other chickens which are high in protein. I have had this happen. Unfortunately once a chicken starts feather eating it is almost impossible to get it to stop since it becomes a habit. I would separate the hen that has not been plucked and see if the other chickens feathers get better. I would also add protein to the diet of all your birds to help them grow back their feathers. I feed my chickens Purina Flock Raiser and throw them a handful of black oil sunflower seeds and old fashioned oats in the morning. If the culprit is the the hen not being plucked, I would find her a new home. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Chickenrandomness]

i have been talking to my mom, now shes saying shes going to get rid one of the cockerels! i love both of my cockerels very much, the dominant cockerel is my sisters chicken, so at least smy mom will have to go through her first, the other cockerel is my moms, but he is just a bantam! i've been trying to convince her to get a little bantam flock for him to lead, but she won't hear any of it

i paid all of the chickens in my own money, and i have rights to them! my small housing is just temporary just to let you know, they're only in the barn until all this snow idssapears, then we're going to build another coop (unless my mom changes her mind again

) i know there are too many cockerels, i'm trying to change that, but she won't listen.

if i give any of the chickens away:

A. i'll be very sad because these are my first chickens

B. my parents will most likly not let me get any more

C. EVERYONE at school will laugh at me. lots of people thinks it weird that i have and love chickens, and when they hear thigs like that, they make fun of me. when Penny got ripped apart by a dog (RIP), they laughed...

 

[Katy]

You can either do what is right for your chickens, or you can do what will make you feel good.