Help! Feathers won't grow back...winter is coming!

ED1995

In the Brooder
Aug 17, 2023
19
11
26
I had a feather pecking saga in July between my 6 girls whilst they were left in their small run by my neighbour when we were on Holiday for a week.
Came back to very bare hens!

I have 6 in total, 1 has fully grown all her feathers back in the space of 2 weeks as she was seperated due to an injury.

The remaining 5 all have bare bottoms, but 2 of them also have bare backs and sides.

I am getting worried now as temperatures here in Scotland are dropping into the minuses and my chickens look pretty bald.

I have seen evidence of feathers trying to come through but then they vanish agian, assuming being pecked by the others.

After the incident in July I built them a new giant walk in run so space is no longer an issue, I have upped protein for all hens and they are all still laying. No sign of mites.

Is there anything I can do to help these feathers grow in? I am scared they are going to freeze. Seperating them all to allow regrowth is not currently possible with the new set up.

Would smothering all the bald areas with Stockholm Tar to prevent pecking be a terrible idea? I am just wardy that it's not a small area, I'd essentially have to smother them in it :(

Will they be ok through the winter this bald? Please help I am really starting to panic :( After seeing my one hen grow all hers back in a matter of weeks, 4 months seems an awful long time for them to grow.
 
Do an on site search on Pin Less Peepers. It sounds as if feather pecking/plucking has become a bad habit with your birds. Pin Less Peepers can allow your birds to recover and may help break this habit.
tried these for the initial pecking issue and they didn't work very well for us.

They don't seem topeck once feathers have all grown in as my girl that grew hers back and went back in with the flock s now fine.

It's just getting thenm past the growing stage!
 
Recommendations:

Put saddles on to protect the back and wings until the feathers grow out.

Saddles are 2 layers of fabric that will also keep the chickens warmer in the cold.

Many of my hens prefer to keep saddles on because they are protected from dominant hen abuse.

I sell high quality custom made saddles:
  1. Similar to heart shaped saddles.
  2. 2 SNAPS on EACH elastic end to attach.
  3. Cover OVER the BACK AND WINGS!
  4. AROUND the tail feathers BASE
  5. Designed and sewn in the USA by a professional Seamstress.
I sell them for $10 each plus shipping.

I designed and had them made because they are better than any commercial saddles that only cover chicken backs.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom