What do I need to do?- lots of feathers in coop

[KenLamWV]

Well my 10 week old chickens have been in their coop for about a week or two. I try to let them out of their run everyday and sometimes if I am home, I will put them in my 5x10 chicken tractor and leave them out for a while. Too many hawks in the area so I will not free range. There are 16 birds in the coop and my coop is 8x10. I don't think they are cramped, lots of space, but what can be causing them to be pulling feathers. I feed them Purina Start and Grow medicated and I make sure they have plenty of food and water. About every 3 days, I look for worms for them and they just devour them. Is the feather pulling due to protein deficiency even though the feed should be more than enough for them. Any suggestions on what to do. As I have posted before, I am a first time chicken raiser and try to read up on everything to educate me. Thanks - Ken

 

[3goodeggs]

Mine ate the feathers. Then we upped to a higher protein. Boredom? Could there be fights?
i dunno. someone will log on that knows. good luck.

 

[brendapa]

Ken,

I would raise the protein level in their feed.

They are ready to be off medicated feed. Get them gamebird grower or pheasant grower, whatever is available in your area.

Also, give them something to play with and peck at. A cabbage head with a few round holes cut into it.
Hang a suet feeder with wild bird suet. It is better for them to peck at that than each other.


Brenda

 

[WitksChicks]

Quote:
I also have a feather issue.

I put pinless peepers on them, as they were actually pecking each other and eating the feathers. The peepers seems to have cut down (but hasn't eliminated it totally) on the pecking. But I think now it's out of boredum that they are just pecking feathers. Mine are 1 year old and are on layer feed and get vegetable treats every other day. They free range, when someone is home to oversee their safety, as a hawk has recently moved into the area, and is aware that my girls are in residence.

What kind of wild bird suet is ok to use? Does it matter? There are many out there some with peanut butter cracked corn, sunflower seeds, etc. , I'm not sure which is good for my RIRs, SLWs and BSLs?

Perhaps your suggestion will help me resolve my issue as well.

 

[newchicksnducks]

WitksChicks - My girls also had a feather problem. I believe if started when they were kept inside for a weekend while we were out of town. The cabbage and suet were just not enough to eliminate boredom. Now I think it is just a verrrrry bad habit. My poor BA's are both bald on their back (no rooster here!), my one EE has a quarter sized bald spot, the other EE some feathers missing from her neck. This has been bad for over a month now. I think the BA's are doing it to themselves, too! I wonder if the peepers will help in the self inflicted situation. I've checked for mites - can't find any problem. (and we've cleaned the coop and disinfected since the first feather loss). The other girls look great! Silly birds