Chickens Missing Neck Feathers

[hoeftam]

Hi everyone,

I have 3 hens (out of 9) who have been missing neck feathers for a few months. At first I suspected molting, but now I'm wondering if another hen is picking on these 3 hens. We do not have any roosters. Is there anything I can do to help them? Do you think it's molting or hen picking? Thanks for your help!

They are all around 9-10 months old.

One is a jubilee orpington (she used to look so pretty!)
Another is a Welsummer (hers looks more like molting)
3rd is a Super Blue Egg Layer from mypetchicken.com (my other super blue of the same age is NOT missing feathers)

 

[aart]

Not molting.
Might have to separate the 'naked' necks for a time, see if the feathers grow in.

 

[hoeftam]

Not molting.
Might have to separate the 'naked' necks for a time, see if the feathers grow in.

I dont really have a way to separate them. :/ We live in the city and have no other place to put them. I'm pretty positive which bird is the one doing the picking (the other super blue egg layer). Do we re-home her? I don't want to, but I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[Isadora]

I'm curious as to why she's picking in the first place.
What do you feed your flock and what kind of coop situations/run do you have?
Feather picking can happen because the chickens are bored, stressed, it have a lack of space. Or it could be diet related, like they're not getting enough protein.

 

[hoeftam]

I'm curious as to why she's picking in the first place.
What do you feed your flock and what kind of coop situations/run do you have?
Feather picking can happen because the chickens are bored, stressed, it have a lack of space. Or it could be diet related, like they're not getting enough protein.

I'm curious too! We have a large coop that we built that could easily house up to 20 hens (wr only have 9 and 2 are bantams). We also have a very large completely fenced in run. I need to get the dimensions for both, but they are adequately sized. We feed nutrena layer feed pellets with free choice oyster shells and grit. We feed kitchen scraps, but not an excess amount. They always have a full water station. We have sand in the coop and a hanging tarp for droppings which we clean off daily. There are 5 nesting boxes and they have curtains over them. We have pine needles and wood chips in the run and it is kept clean.

The hen that I have seen pulling feathers is a super blue egg layer. She is a very "curious" bird. She is always pecking at anything and everything. She is always the first out of the coop and follows anyone and everyone around when we are outside with them. I think she is the one doing the feather pulling. My husband says he has seen her roosting by the 2 "naked neck" birds at night.

One of the birds who lost her neck feathers is also a super blue egg layer and she had a really nice muff. It got pretty wet in the later winter/early spring and perhaps that's why it was picked at? Not sure why the jubilee orpington was picked at.

I'm at a loss for what to do. I could try and fence off an area to put the 2 affected birds in. I also have an XL dog crate, but I wouldn't want to keep them in their for a few days.

 

[ThinMintTheChicken]

Hi everyone,

I have 3 hens (out of 9) who have been missing neck feathers for a few months. At first I suspected molting, but now I'm wondering if another hen is picking on these 3 hens. We do not have any roosters. Is there anything I can do to help them? Do you think it's molting or hen picking? Thanks for your help!

They are all around 9-10 months old.

One is a jubilee orpington (she used to look so pretty!)
Another is a Welsummer (hers looks more like molting)
3rd is a Super Blue Egg Layer from mypetchicken.com (my other super blue of the same age is NOT missing feathers)

Oh my goodness they look like turkens!

I'm curious too! We have a large coop that we built that could easily house up to 20 hens (wr only have 9 and 2 are bantams). We also have a very large completely fenced in run. I need to get the dimensions for both, but they are adequately sized. We feed nutrena layer feed pellets with free choice oyster shells and grit. We feed kitchen scraps, but not an excess amount. They always have a full water station. We have sand in the coop and a hanging tarp for droppings which we clean off daily. There are 5 nesting boxes and they have curtains over them. We have pine needles and wood chips in the run and it is kept clean.

The hen that I have seen pulling feathers is a super blue egg layer. She is a very "curious" bird. She is always pecking at anything and everything. She is always the first out of the coop and follows anyone and everyone around when we are outside with them. I think she is the one doing the feather pulling. My husband says he has seen her roosting by the 2 "naked neck" birds at night.

One of the birds who lost her neck feathers is also a super blue egg layer and she had a really nice muff. It got pretty wet in the later winter/early spring and perhaps that's why it was picked at? Not sure why the jubilee orpington was picked at.

I'm at a loss for what to do. I could try and fence off an area to put the 2 affected birds in. I also have an XL dog crate, but I wouldn't want to keep them in their for a few days.

I had a hen that plucked another hens head bald but stopped when I showed her where the oyster shells were. Maybe you should supervise her and make sure she knows where the oyster shells are? You should probably separate the one that's plucking instead of the affected birds unless there are multiple hens that are plucking out feathers. The feather-plucker may also be bored, do you have anything that could keep them entertained? Do you free-range them?

 

[hoeftam]

Oh my goodness they look like turkens!

I had a hen that plucked another hens head bald but stopped when I showed her where the oyster shells were. Maybe you should supervise her and make sure she knows where the oyster shells are? You should probably separate the one that's plucking instead of the affected birds unless there are multiple hens that are plucking out feathers. The feather-plucker may also be bored, do you have anything that could keep them entertained? Do you free-range them?

We have plenty of things to keep them busy...musical instruments, a mirror, trees ro climb on, dirt to dig in, kitchen scraps. We "free range" them in a large run. I need to measure it for exact measurements. We live in the city and can't free range them for real. They are not locked up, though, and they have ample room. I will separate the one I think is causing the issue and see if that helps.

 

[Tonyroo]

I noticed plucking behavior happens when they are ready to roost. I know this cause I monitor there behavior when I get them ready for bed.

So my suggestion is to divide the coop area with a roost for 1 or 2 birds. Make sure it's fenced-in so they can't rejoin the other group for the night. Use that space for the plucker every night for bed.

 

[hoeftam]

I noticed plucking behavior happens when they are ready to roost. I know this cause I monitor there behavior when I get them ready for bed.

So my suggestion is to divide the coop area with a roost for 1 or 2 birds. Make sure it's fenced-in so they can't rejoin the other group for the night. Use that space for the plucker every night for bed.

I'll have to take some pics of our set up. I'm not quite sure how I can divide the roost spaces. I have seen the suspected picker pecking at the affected birds during the day.