Feather picking and laying reduction.

[Jberning327]

So I have 14 chickens for the past year and have been doing the deep litter method. I just recently changed out bedding at the end of spring. Not sure if this started before the change or not, but all of my Australorps and Easter Eggers are picking feathers on their chests and necks. My Barred Rock seem unphased by anything. I have not seen any signs of mites or ticks. I'm not quite sure what's going on.
It started with 1 hen, who since the start been anti social, and has since grown to 9 total. I used to get 12-14 eggs a day now I occasionlly get 7 or 8 a day. The picture below is about a week old and the picking has progressed.

anyone have any suggestions?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of your set up? Do you free range at all? What do you feed your flock (link, or protein %) and are there any treats?

 

[dawg53]

Overcrowding could be a cause of feather picking as well. Is your coop and pen large enough for 14 chickens? Coop/pen expansion might be needed.

Also, chicken peepers might be needed, they work. If you buy them, you'll need the pliers as well. Here's where you can order them:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/354103478648?itmmeta=01J1FAR0W1W58W2NNMH19VHC57&hash=item5272364978:g:g~gAAOSwRTViqUrz&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAAwFYiwKjDzvmOnZP1rjg35gQYX3+osIa/Nw4FtbC0kOJbsaBWxB3PNDY3ipcOmmkEuM5ccL6449KuY8cQvaUttN7hL6Z9dc3AyCoEcsnKjeM76rI41QL0KrAD3ZUzgWZcLYGkfXPikXqfUhySpK0H8OzBztLEmVY22FcxLWuHmdV2gDx0Vl13pxX8gA3Pv4iHmEDTetX5XZE8R/aanxbFE/2Ng4OrhgbnRg0sM2wxPUVqcF36b+MzYldbSuEiaPz9IQ==|tkp:Bk9SR46O4OqLZA

 

[Jberning327]

Photos of your set up? Do you free range at all? What do you feed your flock (link, or protein %) and are there any treats?

No free range. Coop is 4x8 and run is 8x20. I have been feeding them Kalmbach Non-GMO 17% Layer feed. They occasionally get dried meal worms or scrape vegetables.

 

[rosemarythyme]

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No free range. Coop is 4x8 and run is 8x20. I have been feeding them Kalmbach Non-GMO 17% Layer feed. They occasionally get dried meal worms or scrape vegetables.

My initial thoughts were two fold: that you possibly brought in new litter with mites or lice in it (but you said you don't see any upon inspection) - or that possibly the new litter that was coincidental timing and that the flock was starting to pick out of low protein and/or boredom.

17% isn't bad but lots of folks would recommend 18-20% protein. Might be worth trying to help with feather growth but at this point it's probably not a fix by itself.

The coop is tight but the run space is better. I do notice that the run is pretty barren - a couple swings and a feeder, but no other clutter to provide hiding space or for enrichment: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Do check them again for parasites just in case but at this point you may need to do multiple things to resolve this, including bumping up protein, adding enrichment in the run, as well as pinless peepers starting with the birds that don't have feather loss or have minimal feather loss, as those are the most likely troublemakers.