What to do with feather picker?

[pamandy]

Hello all-
Newbie looking for help again. We have finally figured out which of our flock of 12 is plucking feathers from her "sisters' left and right. She has picked on our black astralorpes and over the past few days has picked their backs clean of feathers in a small diameter area (we think this is happening while they are in their nesting boxes (as their backs are up and accessible.
HELP!
Will isolating her for a few days work to break this habit? any other suggestions? We blu-koted all the plucked areas on the victims to keep clean and possibly deter, but while sitting watching, she just goes from chicken to chicken grabbing at feathers (and eating them)
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[mickey328]

Isolating the bully will generally help...it changes the pecking order within the flock. You might want to supplement their protein as well; that could be contributing to her feather eating. You can give them yogurt, cooked beans, cheese and any sort of meat, cooked or raw.