Feather picking!

[Chickadee00]

My 2 hens started picking off the backfeathers of my rooster. I already tried an anti pick spray but one still picks him and the other is also still interested in his feather even though she won't really pick him. I have two stables and put those two hens in one and locked the door (with water, food, laying boxes inside ofc) so the others won't copy their behavior. My question now is: how long do I separate them from the others? Is it okay for them to be in this stable for a few days? I don't have a separate enclosure to put them in... Will this ever stop? I'm really scared they will do it again even after the isolation and I really don't want to give those 2 away, one was actually my favorite hen.... Pls help..

 

[aart]

How badly is the male being pecked?
Pics of the damage would help here.

How old are the participants, in weeks or months?

Not sure separating them will help, and then you'll have to reintegrate.

 

[Chickadee00]

How badly is the male being pecked?
Pics of the damage would help here.

How old are the participants, in weeks or months?

Not sure separating them will help, and then you'll have to reintegrate.

He lost some feathers bc of molting and now they're growing back, I guess those stumps looked interesting to the girls, so they ripped some feathers completely out and ran off with them, he bled a lot and seemed to be in pain. I can't really get good pics because every time I approach he runs away from me,

The two bullies started laying in summer and are sadly on the top of all hens, I think that got to their head..

I just couldnt see him get attacked anymore and I'm afraid others will copy the bullies

 

[aart]

He lost some feathers bc of molting and now they're growing back, I guess those stumps looked interesting to the girls, so they ripped some feathers completely out and ran off with them, he bled a lot and seemed to be in pain.

So maybe they pecked at some new pin/blood feathers?
A new pin feather, also called blood feathers because they are full of blood and if broken will bleed copiously unless they are fully plucked out(by the bird or the keeper).

 

[Chickadee00]

So maybe they pecked at some new pin/blood feathers?
A new pin feather, also called blood feathers because they are full of blood and if broken will bleed copiously unless they are fully plucked out(by the bird or the keeper).

Yes that could be the case, though they pulled it out completely, I'm just hoping they'll stop when his feathers are fully grown...

 

[aart]

How old are the participants, in weeks or months?

Did you miss this one?

 

[Chickadee00]

Did you miss this one?

The rooster is older than a year, I don't know his exact age sadly, one bully girl is about 8 months, the other 6 months

 

[aart]

The rooster is older than a year, I don't know his exact age sadly, one bully girl is about 8 months, the other 6 months

Does he allow this pecking?
Does he mate them?

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

How big is coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

 

[Chickadee00]

Does he allow this pecking?
Does he mate them?

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

How big is coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

He mates them yes, but he's a really nice guy and let's them do whatever they want sadly.

I feed them high quality chicken feed, it's always available, water with vitamins, lots of vegetables every day, meal worms too

It's a nice big run, they have a lot of space and wood to climb on, hides etc, I have two separate coops, 1 smaller one where the rooster sleeps with the main hens and another bigger one where the others sleep,

Today I've noticed that 2 other girls also pecked him, so I've separated him (they can still see him, there's just a fence between) and he sleeps separately now too

 

[aart]

I feed them high quality chicken feed, it's always available, water with vitamins, lots of vegetables every day, meal worms too

What kind of vitamins?
Do they have plain water too?

What's the protein percentage of the feed?
Might want to cut back on the "lots of vegetables".