Wyandotte neck feathers missing

[hilltopchicks77]

So I noticed my one chicken is looking very scraggly. It seems a lot of neck and a few tail feathers are missing. She's also like paranoid. I threw out some scratch and watched as she tried to eat and the other chickens pecked her neck and ripped out feathers.

Ok therefore assuming this is a behavior issue and not lice/mites? It all seems to be happening to one chicken. I saw one of my buff orphintons peck her but she seems really scared of the other Wyandottes too. Are they ganging up on her because she's sick or is she just the lowest chicken? Anything I can do for her? It's also molting season so I don't know if possibly the feathers are just ripping out easier than normal? Sorry for so many questions!

 

[Eggcessive]

She is probably low in the pecking order or possibly sick or molting, but make sure they have plenty of room in their coop, get outside daily to roam, are getting at least 16-20% protein in their chick feed, and separate any bully for a few days. Watch behavior and you may need to separate her by a dog crate with food and water if she gets injured. Lack of nutrients or certain vitamins/minerals might increase this, so flock blocks and similar things to peck on might help. Cannibalism happens sometimes, so you may want to read this:
http://www.poultryhub.org/health/disease/types-of-disease/cannibalism-or-aggressive-pecking/

 

[hilltopchicks77]

They have not gotten out of their run as much since daylight savings (we usually let them out after work but it's getting dark so early) that is possibly the cause

 

[chickens really]

Yep.....Boredom and crowding come to mind.......


Cheers!

 

[hilltopchicks77]

Yea they technically have over the amount of space/chicken it's just less than they're used to

 

[chickens really]

Possibly the cause.......Lack protein? Add Grower to the feed........I feed my actively laying birds 50/50 Layer pellets and Grower crumbles till one year....Oyster shell and granite grit in two separate bowls..



Cheers!