What I am learning about feather picking and cannibalism

[basicliving]

Let the chickens out just a bit ago. It was 28 degrees here this morning! The coop is uninsulated and even so it was 38 degrees in there. My husband plans to run electric out there soon and I'll add a heat lamp. I must say though, the way they came running out into the yard sure didn't make me think they were very cold.

I open the gate to the run and secure it open before I let them out. The first 2 days, they all ran out of the run right away. The last couple of days the majority stay in the run for quite a while before venturing out. They seem to enjoy all the grass, leaves, and seeds I've sprinkled about the run. And Duke's tail feathers seem to be of no interest to them right now. Because I've done several things differently, it's hard to identify any one of them as the reason they appear to have stopped this feather picking/plucking. And it's not been long enough to declare it over. I honestly think there is no single reason for what appears to have ended it - I think it is the combination of all the things I've been doing.

Jury is still out - but it's looking good! I am especially encouraged because everything I've read did not seem to indicate there was much hope of ending it once it started, short of culling, debeaking, or some other measure I considered rather drastic. I also did not have the issue with them pecking anyone but Duke and certainly it wasn't because they consider him to be weak, so it may not have been as severe as the cases that were studied. At any rate, I am really happy right now - I sure hope it stays that way!

Penny

 

[basicliving]

No feather picking/plucking at all yesterday. I let them out this morning and everyone got busy scratching and running around.

I got the Hot Pick and Avia Charge 2000 in the mail yesterday. I mixed the Avia in their water right away. Pretty nasty looking and smelling stuff - but the chickens actually seem to like it. I've decided to hold off on the Hot Pick and just spray Duke's rump really well with it before we leave to go visit my parents - just in case it offers a little more protection for him during the 3 days they'll be unable to free range.

At this point, it is looking really good. I think adding protein to the diet, giving them things to keep busy while in the run, and free ranging have all helped. I continue to be watch them and although it may still be a bit early to declare this horrible issue over with, I do feel pretty confident that we have it under control. The 3 days of being stuck in the run will be a test for sure. I'll be sure to have the gal watching them add raked leaves to the run each morning and sprinkle them with sunflower oil seeds - and I'll be sure there is a Flock Block in the run before we leave.

I will stop with the daily updates and reply to this thread if things change.

Thanks to all for the support!

Penny

 

[poussin_noir]

Great thread, really enjoyed reading this!

 

[basicliving]

Thank you, poussin_noir - I hope it ends up helping others.

BTW - here's a couple of pictures of my Duke - they were taken 4 weeks ago, but I haven't gotten any recently - didn't want to take pictures of his chewed up tail feathers

But you can see, he's quite a handsome boy - and his tail feathers were just starting to get pretty when I took these.

And here he is with a couple of his feather eating girl friends:

The little hussies.

Penny

 

[ruth]

Great job Penny. I agree 100% that boredom, being locked up in small coops and bare runs, is the cause of most of the chicken "issues" we read about. These wonderful birds are meat eaters, raptors, who were designed to forage, scratch, run and hunt for food which consists of bugs, slugs, and other meat proteins. When we take them and confine them in small areas, deprive them of natural meat protein, feed them processed grain feed, we see cannibalism and other issues that aren't seen with free ranging chickens.

I too free range and also feel that if I lose one or two a year (as I have done) to a predator in the woods, that's better than losing them by watching them eat each other alive. I love watching my chickens run all over the farm and come running whenver they see me to see if I have treats for them. I also don't have any issues with them fighting one another, including the 14 roosters (never a fight), and no one picks on the babies that I let free range starting at one-two weeks old.

Giving them lots of room and letting them live the way they were meant to live, and eat what they were meant to eat, resolves so many issues.

Thanks for posting and please keep us all updated. I, for one, know you have saved your chickens lives. I've seen too many posts lately where the chickens are eating each other and the pictures and posts are just terrible.

 

[basicliving]

Thanks for the nice post, Ruth. I have always been inspired by your "Journey through a different way" thread, but was so worried about losing my chickens that I was afraid to try free ranging. This incident with the feather picking/plucking has been a real eye opener for me and I basically decided to free range out of desperation.

I know the day will come when I lose one or more to predators, and I am dreading it. But I also know my chickens are happier and healthier because they can free range and experience a freedom they've lacked in the past.

They are funny little things - last night 3 decided to roost in trees and didn't go into the coop at bedtime. I did a headcount and took off to find them. I would yell "Where are those babies" and I'd hear a low "cluck, cluck, cluck". A few seconds later, I'd hear another just a little further away. It was like playing "Marco, Polo". In the end, each of them ratted themselves out and I got them all tucked into the coop for the night.

I do feel I am doing the right thing - and I do feel it has ended that disturbing feather picking/plucking. I also feel lucky I caught it and took action before it turned into something much more horrific.

Take care, Ruth. Enjoy your journey, and know that you are a true inspiration to so many.

BTW - I still chuckle when I think of your 4.0 college grad's experiences while animal sitting for you!

Penny

 

[basicliving]

We just returned from visiting my parents. You may remember that I was worried the picking/pecking would start up again while we were away and the chickens were not free ranging. Well, we did end up having an issue with it, but it started the day before we left....

Wednesday evening (the day before we left) we were outside loading the truck and the chickens were out free ranging, when I looked over and saw a Silver Leghorn pecking at Duke's tail feathers. I was SHOCKED. I walked over and she continued doing it. I inspected Duke, and sure enough he was bleeding. I captured the offender and separated her, placing her in an enclosed area in the coop. I was at my wits end. Why did she start this up after a week and 1/2 of free ranging and no issues? If we were not busy getting ready for the trip, I would have culled her immediately. I was extremely upset. I decided to leave her caged up in the coop while we were gone and deal with it when we returned. I prayed it wasn't something the others had picked up on and then get out of control while we were gone.

I cleaned up Duke, sprayed Blue Kote on his rear, and then sprayed the heck out of him with the Hot Pick. The next morning I got up at 5AM, filled their chicken run with fresh raked leaves and grass from the compost. I also sprayed Duke again with the Hot Pick. I called the gal that would be watching them in our absence and explained what was going on. I asked her to immediately call me if she noticed any blood on Duke. While I did NOT want them free ranging all day while no one was around due to the many predators in this area, I would have told her to do just that. Thankfully, it didn't come to that.

We returned home this afternoon and I immediately inspected Duke. No feather picking/plucking while we were away. I was so relieved. I released the leghorn I had pinned up and she was so happy to be free she never even looked at Duke all afternoon. I tucked them in when they went into the coop tonight, and all is fine.

I will continue to keep a very close eye on them. If the leghorn starts this again, she will be culled. I really hope it doesn't come to that, but I can not allow this behavior.

The only thing I can think of that would have possibly contributed to this relapse is that it was extremely windy for 2 days in a row prior to this starting again. Although they were free ranging, the chickens would all bed down together in the woods during the day because it was so windy and cold. Perhaps feeling that she couldn't move around much resulted in boredom and a relapse? Or maybe the fact that the wind kept blowing his tail feathers up and exposing his vent area? I honestly don't know. She didn't go after the skin - it was still only the feathers. It's very confusing. I'm determined to end this though.

I'll let y'all know what happens next. I'm really hoping it was a fluke and won't happen again

Penny

 

[basicliving]

The "solitary confinement" for 4 days seemed to work with the Leghorn. I'm sure she didn't actually "learn" anything from it, but it appears to have gotten her mind off of feather picking/plucking. She's been with the rest of the flock since Sunday afternoon and hasn't misbehaved since.

For those wondering if the Hot Pick works, I must say I believe it probably does - but I think you'd have to apply it fairly regularly to keep the area saturated with it. As I said, I sprayed the heck out of Duke's rear and when I released him the first time a few hens that came over to him would "check out" his rear and then wipe their beaks on the ground. It's very potent and I advise using it in a well ventilated area. The first time I used it in the coop, which was closed up, and it immediately stung my lungs and put me in a coughing fit. You can REALLY feel the hot peppers in it when you breathe it in. The next time I used it outside and it wasn't as bad.

I'll be watching that Leghorn like a hawk.

Penny

 

[Delzzar]

Hi All, New to the forum and to raising chickens. After years of wanting to raise birds for eggs finally did it, and all was well until about 4-6 weeks ago, and went from healthy birds to some of my flock (16 birds, including 2 roosters- 5 Rhode Islands, 5 Barred Rocks, 6 Red Sex-links). pecked hard around the tail area. 2 have died. (1 sex link, 1 Rhode Island I've tried pine tar, removing severely injured birds, one of which fully recovered, but when reintroduced to the coop did well for 2 weeks, then got severely pecked again. I've spent a lot of time watching the birds, and am only seeing 2 pecking. One is a barred rock, but she will just act like she is preening, not focusing on the others birds tail areas, just at the tips of the feathers and the other birds just ignore her. The other hen is a Rhode Island. She is going hard right for the tail area, or any bare skin showing, and interestingly all the other birds, including the roosters, are avoiding her. Any time she comes near any of the other birds they scoot away from her quickly. This morning I separated her out, and unless I can find another way, am sending her to the butcher block tonight (the one thing I did not want to have to do to any of my ladies). But I don't want to cull her then find the issue continuing, but am at my wit's end. Is it possible for only one bird to be the problem? If it continues I won't have a flock left. They have just gotten into laying full speed, but have already lost 2 layers. I do let them run around at the end of the day, but do not have an outside run built yet. It is in the plans, but the season past too quickly, and have already had winter weather. Even if I got the run built, with winter almost here they will soon be confined to the Coop anyway. The family dog prevents me from free ranging all day when I am not home. (Can't keep the dog inside all day.) He is a yellow lab, and thoroughly enjoys removing the squeaky part of all his toys. I think he wants to do the same to the "live toys".

Any advice that might work without culling this hen? She is the only one I see being out right aggressive. Should I keep her separate for a week first to see if the problem goes away? But would hate to reintroduce her and end up with injured birds again.
I did go the whole nine yards and have bought premium feed, built a 64 sq. foot coop, etc etc. I even did the hanging cabbage which they liked, but still had pecked birds.
Help! and Thanks!

 

[basicliving]

Hi Delzzar -

!

I would definitely separate her for at least 4 or 5 days. If there is no feather picking/plucking during that time, you have likely found your only culprit.

The problem is that often when one starts it - the others will join in. Which I believe is the case with my hens. I have one that starts it, and then it is a "learned" behavior for the others. I strongly believe bordom contributes to it.

I think free ranging has been the biggest help to me, but if that is impossible for you to do all day, then I would cut out all treats except those high in protein. If you can, get some hot pick and spray the rear end of the one that is so severly picked around the vent. I would also cover those areas in blue kote.

To keep them busy while in the coop all day, sprinkle black oil sunflower seeds through out whatever you put on the floor. The Flock Blocks that The Simple Life suggested are a big hit with my girls and keeps them busy pecking for quite a while. If you can cover the floor of your coop with fresh raked leaves, that will keep them busy as well. Continue hanging cabbage, lettuce, etc. around the coop too. Do anything and everything you can think of to keep them occupied with pecking something other than each other.

Like I said - if you keep the hen you caught in the act separate and it doesn't occur during that time, then you'll know it's only her. You can try to re-introduce her after 4 or 5 days (make sure you've got Hot Pick and Blue Kote on any of the hens with raw/bare spots) and watch her for a day or so to see if it starts up again. If it does, well, you'll have to figure out how you want to handle it. I believe I would cull her at that point.

Good luck - and let us know how things go.