What I am learning about feather picking and cannibalism

[Schwartzfarmnc]

I'd love to resurrect this thread for those of us who are currently dealing with feather picking issues. This thread is full of great info and help and if anyone else who may have ideas to contribute to those of us who are completely stressed out by bare bottom chickens would be greatly appreciated. I have implemented several of the ideas in the this thread along with awesome advice from other members and my issues have settled down but are not over, there may be several Sunday dinners after all but only as last resort. If you can contribute something positive to this thread or just want to tell your story and how you handled the situation please add to this thread, it would help us who may be struggling with feather picking on multiple levels.

 

[MoJobes Flock]

No one has mentioned pinless peepers. We've been having trouble with our 8 hens since we got them. Our littlest one started attacking all the other girls and we suspect it was a nutritional issue...we are new to this and were feeding a lot of treats. We removed her and the worst afflicted for a bit. We returned the one who was getting picked and kept the offender boxed up in the run for several days - meanwhile feeding a high protein diet. When we released her, she seemed to have stopped the picking (and she is super sweet - even letting my 2 year old pick her up). However, in the following weeks we noticed our poor little RIR getting her tail feathers picked out again. We cover the area with Rooster Booster - the purple goop that heals and hides the red blood, but the one large silver Wyandotte apparently learned how to pick feathers from the littlest girl and is now going after everyone. Our poor RIR can not keep feathers on her rear end. Every time they start to grow back they are picked off in a day or two. We just don't know what to do! We have upped the protein, put in a flock block and other little toys, added feeders and waterers, lots of branches/roosts in the run and they are allowed out of their coop as early as they like as we leave their door open (fair weather and fully secure run) Our local feed store sold us the pinned peepers, but we just haven't had the heart/guts to put them in. Seems a bit mean to me, but maybe one of you can tell me more about them. I just read about pinless peepers and have several pair on the way. I'm hoping that they do the trick because I'm starting to fear for the safety of my RIR. Not only is she totally bald on her tail, but her skin is now looking chapped. I'm afraid them might start picking the skin next. Maybe the solution is to free range them in the yard - which we had planned to do - but since we have had so many issues with them I have been afraid to start doing this for fear they will decide to start flying over fences! Any advice on the picking and free ranging would be appreciated.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

I am experiencing this now-- that the girls have been "cooped" up for a few days in this terrible cold snap! I know who the culprit is--- do you think that it would be beneficial to seperate her for a while? maybe break her habit? It was mainly to one other hen but now is starting to get at the other ones too-- noone has any bare spots but I definitely do not want it to lead to that. I have done everything that I can to cease boredom and I have upped the protein (even though I doubt that is the issue to begin with)-- my girls are used to free-ranging all day--every day and are not able to in this weather....

 

[ten chicks]

I am experiencing this now-- that the girls have been "cooped" up for a few days in this terrible cold snap! I know who the culprit is--- do you think that it would be beneficial to seperate her for a while? maybe break her habit? It was mainly to one other hen but now is starting to get at the other ones too-- noone has any bare spots but I definitely do not want it to lead to that. I have done everything that I can to cease boredom and I have upped the protein (even though I doubt that is the issue to begin with)-- my girls are used to free-ranging all day--every day and are not able to in this weather....

Provide them with stuff to break up boredom. I use hanging heads of cabbage,mirrors,flock block(lots of different recipes online)etc.

If this does not work,then you may have to separate her for a couple of days,but try the boredom breaker ideas first.

My silkies love boxes,i place box upside down,cut an opening in it,my silkies will run in and out,jump on box and stand around "talking about box"entertains them for hours. My other birds are not impressed,but the silkies are.

 

[CourtsCacklers]

Provide them with stuff to break up boredom. I use hanging heads of cabbage,mirrors,flock block(lots of different recipes online)etc.

If this does not work,then you may have to separate her for a couple of days,but try the boredom breaker ideas first.

My silkies love boxes,i place box upside down,cut an opening in it,my silkies will run in and out,jump on box and stand around "talking about box"entertains them for hours. My other birds are not impressed,but the silkies are.

Thanks! I have free choice grit, commercial feed, oyster shell, water (obviously!) and give them some fresh greens and/or sprouts daily. Yesterday I added a dusting station INSIDE the coop since they normally do that outside. With the single digit and below 0 temps they just refuse to go out... can't say I blame them... we are having 30mph wind gusts here today! I also added a suet cake yesterday-- they are unimpressed with that. I gave them liver this morning-- they have yet to show any interest in that either-- can't say I blame them-- it is GROSS but many other people say that they might like some meat like liver. I did then take out a combination of Lisa Steele's "breakfast of champions" and threw it on the floor so they had something to scratch for. I am going to go on the hunt for a mirror- maybe that will entertain them for a while. I am pretty sure it is just boredom. This is their first winter and they don't know what to do with themselves. They have always had free range of the backyard! If it were 20 degrees out and little wind- without a doubt they would be out messing around. I open their pop door and the coop just gets drafty and cold and they still don't come out. After a couple of hours I just shut it. I talked to DH yesterday about getting the covered part of the run closed up from winds and drafts so maybe they will use that if we can get that done. Early winter I cut my fountain grasses down and bound them and made a little hut in the covered part of the run for them but they have since scratched through it and it isn't a very effective wind barrier anymore... I thought about straw as a quick fix but DH suggest some corregated roofing material that could be used year after year.... WE HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND!!!! Polar Vortex #2 is supposed to stick around a while this time.... how frustrating. I may just have to get the big dog kennel out and seperate the 'picker' for a while till I get the run straightened out.... hummmppphhhh