Feather pecking and how to stop it… Please help!!!

[Loving my girls]

Great advice, thank you! This started last year in June, the weather was extremely hot and they were not free ranging. After that happened I let them free range everyday to present. Now it appears to be a bad habit, that I cannot break. No new hens, they were raised together their whole life (they are 1 year, 5 months) I have treated them for mites and tried all the OTC treatments, chicken saddles, etc. (except re-homing the bullies, I can't bring myself to do it)

I appreciate your time and will continue to try and solve this problem.

Hiya again,
I have to say that the coop is on the small side for 6 hens. Sorry the size you entered has just sunk in (brain not as absorbent as it used to be).
It would be a good idea to search this site to get an idea of the amount of space you need for them in the coop, although I have always worked on about 4 sq ft per hen. Could you, somehow, add an extension onto the coop ?
They probably reached full size when this all kicked off and get bored when in their coop. It’s great that you are freeranging them, that is always good in my opinion and helps you with the run size too and all those grubs help with the eggs.
Hugz

 

[PVILLAGO]

Hello, I am a first time “poster” on here but have been visiting this site since I got my chickens 1.5 years ago. I appreciate all the helpful information I’ve found on this site, and thank you!!

I am reaching out today, to see if anybody has any ideas of how to stop my chickens from pecking at each other‘s tail feathers. It’s gotten out of hand. One of my chickens gets pecked so bad that her tail feathers and lower back our bare, and never have enough time to grow back before being pecked again. It started last year when it was really hot where I live and they were cooped up. That’s when the pecking/bullying began (hot weather and no free ranging) now it’s become a bad habit, even though they now free range everyday.

My question is has anyone else had this happen and do you have any advice you could give to stop this? I have tried a lot of different things, such as chicken saddle which at one point the chicken wore at all times, her tail feathers were growing back but it seemed to damage her shoulder area and irritated her shoulder feathers and back feathers (her feathers looked tattered) from the wear and tear of constantly having to wear a saddle.

I’ve also tried all the OTC anti feather pecking products, nothing seems to work, there are two chickens that are the “bullies” and now they are starting to peck my two other chickens tail feathers. I don’t know what to do? Has anyone had this happen, been able to solve this bad habit and had any success in stopping it in their flock?? Any advice or tips would be much appreciated, as I am at a loss of what to do!! (Pictures attached)

Thank you,
Kristen

I had to buy saddles for one of my girls. They kept pecking and pulling her feathers off her honey and back near her tail.