Young Polish lost vanes on head feathers

[HollyDutton]

We have 2 Polish and 2 d'uccle that are each 11 weeks old and not yet intergrated into the flock of 11 older girls (who are all about 3 months older).

We keep them a covered dog pen in the yard while the others free range for a "look but don't touch" exposure.

Yesterday was forecast for heavy rains most of the day, so we put the littles into their house (a plastic playhouse) early.

Went to let everyone out this morning and omg. There was standing water in their house, but worse yet, almost all the vanes from the Polishes heads were GONE Shafts intact, but vanes gone.

At this point I assume it was stress rather than pecking, because there was nothing wrong with the 2 d'uccles who were in there (other than their wet feet.) and no signs of wounds or broken shafts.

I feel so bad for them!!

There's no blood or anything just the somewhat bare heads.

Anything I can or should do?

Second photo: Tailfeathers on the laced are just wet. The white crested is the one whose butt got plucked (by the dogs, probably) a couple weeks ago, so she just has a couple good ones right now.

 

[Gray Farms]

Nothing you can do but wait for them to grow back in. It will take a while, be patient. I would not put him in with the older birds as he will get picked on more.

 

[sourland]

In mixed flocks Polish frequently have their crests removed by the other birds. It sometimes escalates to scalping. Generally when free ranged this does not happen.

 

[HollyDutton]

The Polish were not out with the other birds. This happened overnight while housed with the d'uccles, who couldn't have done this. So I am pretty sure it wasn't from normal pecking.

 

[Gray Farms]

His flock mates did it from the stress. Everybody picks on Polish, I personally don't recommend them for a mixed flock for this reason.

 

[HollyDutton]

Just realized this might not be clear. The Polish and d'uccles have separate housing from the older girls. They are separated during the day by the covered pen in the photos. So this didn't happen because of pecking by the older birds.

They have all free ranged together before with some minor pecking, but no feather pulling. We have hawks migrating thru right now, so went with the covered options for the littles, after one of our other d'uccles got beheaded in broad daylight

 

[HollyDutton]

His flock mates did it from the stress. Everybody picks on Polish, I personally don't recommend them for a mixed flock for this reason.

You're saying either the Polish did this to each other, or somehow the much smaller d'uccles did that? Without breaking any feathers?

 

[Gray Farms]

You're saying either the Polish did this to each other, or somehow the much smaller d'uccles did that? Without breaking any feathers?

Yep

 

[HollyDutton]

Yep

I'm surprised! Guess stress can do strange things to birds. These 4 haven't behaved poorly around each other in the 2+ months we've raised them. Hopefully we don't have another bad weather night like that for awhile.

 

[Gray Farms]

I'm surprised! Guess stress can do strange things to birds. These 4 haven't behaved poorly around each other in the 2+ months we've raised them. Hopefully we don't have another bad weather night like that for awhile.

Hope not. Some extra protein in his food will help regrow the feathers faster. Some cooked egg or ground beef is good.