Feather picker, need advice, images available

[fifibreen]

I'm going crazy trying to figure out which chicken(s) have developed a feather picking habit. I love my flock to look beautiful, and this is awful. This started early in this year and is really starting to rear its ugly head.

The real issue I have is that I cannot figure out who is doing the pecking. It started as de-bearding my salmon faverolle and my easter egger. Then my black Maran had parts of her neck nearly picked bald. My Sussex has been getting slowly balded on her rump. Some time over night or early this morning my cuckoo Maran was balded on parts of her head and neck!

I have been carefully watching and observing, and the best I can guess is that this behavior is occurring on the roost overnight, or in the nest boxes making it really hard to find out what chicken is doing it.

Since we hold and regularly inspect our birds and I feel very confident that this is not due to mites or louse. I have not found any crawlies in a while. I have not wormed them since the fall (hate to throw so many eggs away in the good laying season). They have plenty of areas to dust bath regularly. We also have a large powerful fan that gives them relief from gnats and heat installed in the run.

They have ample supply of layer pellets and water at all times. I have been adding some "feather fixer" feed by nature wise which has a 18% protein content. I had wondered if they were needing extra protein, but so far over a month this has not appeared to help.

They get free range time nearly every day twice a day. They also have a flock block, and two flock cakes that they can peck at in case of boredom. We have tried to offer a variety of enrichment to stop the feather picking issue.

I have a 5x6 coop and a 10x18 enclosed covered run. I originally had 14 birds in this space when the issue was first noticed. Several weeks ago I reluctantly re-homed 3 of my flock members to a flock of 11. I was worried maybe the issue was caused by too many birds in one space. This has not helped.

It seems to be affecting birds seemingly lower on the pecking order, but not to the higher ups. So far my best guess is my Delaware. she shows no sign of being feather picked and is with and roosts with lower pecking order group.

I'm at wits end here, and don't want my bird to look like they have mange! Any additional suggestion? I don't have a live camera to put in the coop but that could help. I'm willing to get rid of the bird(s) doing this as well, if I can find out who it is!

Feeling desperate......


Our run and coop

My salmon faverolle with her face picked clean off.... my EE missing her beard too



My sussex on April 20 My sussex on June 22nd (I don't own a rooster)

my blk Maran with bald patches on her neck....

This just happened to my cuckoo Maran last night or this morning!!!!! She looks awful.....

 

[Judy]

Too little space, boredom and too little protein are the commonly cited causes. But they can definitely develop a stubborn habit that persists despite management. One option is pinless peepers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/back-to-basic-living-feather-picking-plucking-and-cannibalism

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697052/i-think-i-found-a-miracle-cure-for-feather-picking/0_20

 

[fifibreen]

One of the links really talked a lot on protein, and several felt that commercial layer feed with 16% is barely enough for laying hens. I have been adding small daily rations of 18% protein feather fixer to their feed, and have seen no change.

Is it ok to use a feed with a higher protein content for adult laying hens? I have always been warned that laying hens can easily get too fat, and can be susceptible to fatty liver disease. My thoughts are that is is only one bird in the flock, but I can't identify that for sure. I won't know whom to separate so would be looking at feeding all the higher protein feed. In the past years I have always done fine with the setup and regular laying feed. They do get to eat a lot of bugs and meal worm treats too. If changing their diet from 16% to 18% wont hurt them then I have no issue doing that.

 

[enola]

Pinless peepers are a pecked chicken's best friend.

 

[fifibreen]

I was looking at them and am willing to try them, I just don't know which bird I would need to put them on. I see them on ebay, not sure our farm store would have them.
I would hate to have all my hens have them. Some of them are super spoiled lap chickens that follow us everywhere

 

[fifibreen]

Ordered the peepers today...hopefully I get the right bird and get the problem under control! http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/251464849933?lpid=82

 

[hockeygirl56]

Following this post - I've had a feather picking problem that I've tried everything but the peepers for, and as long as they aren't causing injuries I've jut learned to let it be. I do have some peepers, but I've been afraid to put them through the process of putting them on. Interested to know how it goes!

 

[Cknldy]

OP- how old are your birds? Is moulting a possibility? Try checking on them at night to make sure there aren't any creepy crawlies and maybe see what exactly they are doing. Without a male present some hens will take on that role but I've never seen just the beard picked clean like that before. Interesting...let us know what works!

 

[aart]

Maybe I missed it but......How much roost space you have? Can you post a pic?

Your run is very nice and it looks like it's covered....do they have 24/7 access to the run?

I have read about muffs being plucked by the other birds. It could be the picking habit started with crowding and now it's just a habit.

 

[fifibreen]

Some of our birds are two years old, and others are about 1 year. The ones that are getting pecked are all about one year old. I feel good about not having the creepy crawlies currently.

My run is 10'x18', the coop is 5'x6', they have full access to the run at all times. They get free range time in the morning and evening, or basically when we are home.

I reduced my flock from 14 to 11 trying to cure the issue by reducing crowding.

BREAKTHROUGH! I think I figured out which hen is doing it. I'm pretty sure my Delaware "La La" is the picker! This hen was broody and I had her locked up in a broody breaker cage. The day I let her out my maran got her head and part of her neck nearly balded. The Maran had been in the nest box that morning going broody, so she was reluctant to move making her an easy target. I put two and two together and I had another hunch that it was happening on the roost. This would explain why I have not been able to see who is doing it.

I went and checked on them after they went to bed and the suspected feather picking hen is roosted in the middle of all picked on hens. The bearded EE facing her on the lower roost. (hence beard gone) The sussex right nest to her and facing the same direction(perfect proximity to get her rear feathers pecked) The black Maran was positioned rightly to get her neck feathers picked! I even finally watched her peck at the sussex a little while I stood there.

I hope she is the only one that has developed the habit. My pin less peepers just arrived in the mail today, and I know whom is going to get a shiny new pair. I hope this can break the habit. I would feel bad is she had to wear them all the time.