Why are my chickens plucking out each others fluffy bum feathers and eating them?

[Hishigata]

I guess your chickens like tuna too. You never can tell. Hens each have their own likes and dislikes. Mine loved tuna for a few days then stopped eating it then loved it again a few months later. I hope it gives your girls the protein boost needed to curb their feather appetite. Keep us posted.

 

[MySuburbanLife]

My silkie started doing this about two weeks before she started laying, then continued for another two weeks. It drove me mad! I've been giving the flock a few handfuls of black oil sunflower seeds and some mealworms every day, hoping the extra protein would nip this behavior in the bud. The butt-plucking has slowed down quite a bit since I started the extra protein snacks, so I'm going to keep it going. Hope your tuna snacks help your girls too.

 

[Tomczyk]

I am having the same problem with my chickens except for one. All but one have naked butts. I give lots of extra stuff for protein, but can I give them it every day and how much? If I gave a can or two of cat food a day, kibble , fish , tuna what ever a day would that be enough? Can you feed the chick food in the winter to your layers as long as you make sure they have oyster shell all the time? I just am at my wits end with this. I just am not sure if (because the one does not have any thing missing) it is a bully thing or a protein thing. I have tried the blue kote and the plucker stuff with no results. So any help would be appreciated as far as how much and how often can I give something.

 

[Summerlove]

I am having the same problem with my chickens except for one. All but one have naked butts. I give lots of extra stuff for protein, but can I give them it every day and how much? If I gave a can or two of cat food a day, kibble , fish , tuna what ever a day would that be enough? Can you feed the chick food in the winter to your layers as long as you make sure they have oyster shell all the time? I just am at my wits end with this. I just am not sure if (because the one does not have any thing missing) it is a bully thing or a protein thing. I have tried the blue kote and the plucker stuff with no results. So any help would be appreciated as far as how much and how often can I give something.

Is it possible you have a roo? and that is the one with feathers intact?

 

[Tomczyk]

No I don't have a rooster they are almost a year old. I would have noticed that a while ago. She also has been laying eggs since 20 weeks old

 

[Tomczyk]

I wish it was as simple as a roo.

 

[Summerlove]

I wish it was as simple as a roo.

You never know! I have seen that many times on here. I hope you figure out why your girls are picking each other

 

[Alden Chickens]

Trying to find an answer to why we have 3 out of 4 chickens with bald bottoms and came across this thread. I know we have one bully girl but can't really separate her with our set up. I am hoping that once they get more time outside maybe she'll lay off the others a little. And I think I'll throw some crushed dry cat food in with their scratch just in case it is a protien thing.

 

[DottieandDollie]

I am having the same problem with my chickens. I have 11 hens and 1 rooster. Their outdoor pen size is approx 12 X 12. I give them lots of protein treats and they have a nice sized indoor coop to lay their eggs. At least 6 of my hens have bald butts. I have tried the Blu-kote many times and it hasn't helped. I am at my wits end and don't know what else to do? Any suggestions? Is my outdoor fenced-in run too small?

 

[PimpinMunky]

did the tuna help? was this due to protein deficiency? Do you have a conclusion to the story?