Tail pickers How to stop this?

[RussianChickens]

Ive got half my flock tail picking eachother.

Anyone know how to stop this? I've tried no pick to no avail.

They have ruined all my long feathered birds tails none have butts any more

Also some bear pluckers on my favorite rooster and now all this beard feathers aren't growing back properly.

Any one got any ideas?

Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most feather picking is from crowding, boredom or a protein deficiency. Do they eat the feathers? How big of a set up and how many birds? Do they free range? A little more information might help whittle it down.

 

[chickens really]

Nutrition.....Nutrition is the most important thing plus space with Chickens.......They are easy if you follow a strict complex diet and do not over crowd them....They are Cannibals if not balanced in the way they are kept.....Yes, protein is important but not the only thing to keep a controlled balance in the diet....5% daily in treats.....Tablespoon per bird and room to move around freely.....

Cheers!

 

[Folly's place]

I agree, and would add that genetics matters too. Some birds will be much more aggressive than others. I'm thinking about the production reds/ hatchery RIRs that I no longer have in my flock. Mary

 

[RussianChickens]

Use to free range until peoples dogs killed my entire flock twice. So now I've got all the chickens in a run that is 50' by 100'

I feed a mix of corn and layer pellets and whatever they find in the run plus table scraps daily. Oyster shell as well

I've had the same group in the same place for 3 years and only this summer has the tail picking started. There are 30 some birds in there.

I don't know why it started now or how to stop it. But all the hens pick the tails mostly of the roosters. Its like it started with one and now everyone is doing it kinda thing

 

[RussianChickens]

I don't see them eating the feathers either.

Once they get broken off its like all the chickens think the nubs are something nummy

 

[chickens really]

Sounds like crowding.....Boredom......Chickens change day to day...week to week...Your Birds are 3 years old?? Things Change.....
All the scraps your feeding and boredom sounds to be your problem....? Chickens do need balance in order to be balanced.....

Also....Nutrition is key in raising healthy Birds...


Cheers!!!

 

[RussianChickens]

Sounds like crowding.....Boredom......Chickens change day to day...week to week...Your Birds are 3 years old?? Things Change.....
All the scraps your feeding and boredom sounds to be your problem....? Chickens do need balance in order to be balanced.....

Also....Nutrition is key in raising healthy Birds...


Cheers!!!

Yes but how are the scraps bad? They also eat plenty of high quality pellets and corn, all by choice free feeding, they eat what they want as much as they want. Scraps are a bonus for them not a main feed.

Any ways I can combat their boredom? Aside from upsizing, can't do that right now. I do try to get them out in the yard with me in the evening once or twice a week, that isn't much though. I keep chicken blocks this time of year that they can peck at.

Any one got some ideas?

Yes almost 4 now.

 

[chickens really]

Quote: Okay.....The Corn and scraps are fillers....Zero nutritional value for the Birds....

Free range more....If you can, let them out everyday...?

Chicken Block is another treat....

 

[RussianChickens]

Okay.....The Corn and scraps are fillers....Zero nutritional value for the Birds....

Free range more....If you can, let them out everyday...?

Chicken Block is another treat....

No the table scraps I feed are full of nutritional value. It's left over from what we eat. Meat scraps and trimmings amoung other things. So full of protein for one since now that's it's hunting season they get deer scraps.

The chickens prefer corn over their feed on most days. I often wet their pellets and they like this much better. I feed the pellets to get them nutrients that are not in the other feeds.

The block has grains in it not 0 nutritional value but it isn't like it is full of extra vitamins, just what in it naturally, but it's more for their entertainment.

They aren't eating the feathers. And really they are all very health y birds. I don't see at all what's wrong with their feed. Are you trying to say I should feed nothing but store bought feed? I don't agree with this, my birds did not look as good when I only fed the bagged feed only. Free range they eat worms and bugs, some grass. That's mostly protien. I don't see how meat scraps would be any different. If anything I'd think more might do them better.

I'm not sure I understand what your getting at.

You say they are bored but condemed my use of the hanging bird blocks for some form of entertainment. I don't understand that either.

(sorry for the errors, phone keyboard is sketchy.)