What do I do?

[Rosypetals]

I have 8 chickens as seen in my signature,and my Wyandotte was picking on everyone, my ameraucana in particular. She is in a cage the size of the ones in the fairs, and the first day I thought she might hurt herself so I made improvements. She was at the top of the pecking order, and she’s been in the cage for about 3 days now. She has barely touched her water and food, and she’s laid one egg this whole time this morning. She seems very weak, although I try to let her out and free range while I watch her, (she is alone, the others I lock in the coop) and she seems to drink from the water and food then, but I’m still worried. Am I doing something wrong? She’s more of a pet then an egg machine, and I would be very sad to see her get hurt, or worse. Any suggestions? Just something to add as well, I order food organic,y from a local, I was just wondering if there was a powder to add to the food to give them the vitamins they need to stop feather plucking, because my light brown leghorn is plucking, and this just started recently. She is 5 months old, and 2 weeks, and she seems very very close to laying her first egg, but she hasn’t yet.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Can u put a friend in the kennel with her?

 

[Rosypetals]

Can u put a friend in the kennel with her?

I would, but I think that cage is a little small for that, it’s like the size for one chicken instead of three. Her best friend is my RIR, and she always lies and sits next to the cage. I think it might get to overcrowded for my Wyandotte.

 

[Rosypetals]

Can u put a friend in the kennel with her?

I’ll take a picture with her in the cage for perspective.

 

[Rosypetals]

Can u put a friend in the kennel with her?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Can you free range her and get her out and about with supervision.....the other flock member should be in eye view so she isn’t isolated. Reintegration will be very difficult........

 

[aart]

Are all your birds the same age and were they raised together??

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics will help immensely.

What are the nutrient levels in the feed, protein and calcium?
Giving them some animal protein treats might help the feather picking,
unless it's because of crowding.

That crate is rather small, but should be ok once she calms down.
A smaller feeder might help, parrot cage cups work well for me.
Can she drink out of the rabbit waterer(I think that's what that is),
might want to mount it higher??

 

[Flockandfowl46]

If it's been 3 days I would retry integration again asap before she stresses herself into an illness. With some supervision of course as far as the feather picking there is another underlying cause. Could be stress due to overcrowding or it could be a lack of protein in which case I would go with something like a feather fixer or a game feed until the picking stops and make sure if you offer these feeds to offer oyster shell calcium free choice for them but if it is overcrowding you need to expand or thin your flock a bit sorry your having this problem hun some pictures of your set up would really be helpful

 

[Rosypetals]

Are all your birds the same age and were they raised together??

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics will help immensely.

What are the nutrient levels in the feed, protein and calcium?
Giving them some animal protein treats might help the feather picking,
unless it's because of crowding.

That crate is rather small, but should be ok once she calms down.
A smaller feeder might help, parrot cage cups work well for me.
Can she drink out of the rabbit waterer(I think that's what that is),
might want to mount it higher??

I’m so sorry I just got to this.all the birds have been raised together since day old chickens. I have 100 square feet outside and 75 inside. I’m not sure what’s in my feed because it’s from a private organic feed a buy from a local farmer. I have switched the feed, and I’m going to see how she reacts to the others tomorrow. She has been drinking a little out of the watered, an she figured it out right away because I use teat waterers in the coop. I switched to the parrot feeder and it works much better. Thank you for the advice, she has calmed down and eating and drinking better.

 

[aart]

I’m not sure what’s in my feed because it’s from a private organic feed a buy from a local farmer.

I would ask for a nutrient assessment...something like pic below.

I have switched the feed, and I’m going to see how she reacts to the others tomorrow.

What did you switch to?

She has been drinking a little out of the watered, an she figured it out right away because I use teat waterers in the coop

Vertical or Horizontal nipples?
I use HN's and they are easily put in a small bottle for wire cage use:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nipple-waterer-for-wire-crates-by-aart.72704/