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Good morning and pecking issues. Please help

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Sylie 
#1 ·
Good morning,
This is our first post, therefore hello. We are hoping that this forum can help us with a problem we are having we are 4 hens. We have had them now for nearly 2 years, they all seem happy and consistent layers. The issue we have is that 2 of them have lost a lot of feathers (one on the chest area and around tail, the other across the back leaving no feathers). We have tried a number of solutions including anti pecking sprays, purple spray and keeping the one we think is doing the pecking out of the hen house at night. We think the pecking is happening at night as we do not see it too often in the day. There setup is a henhouse, a 2mx2m enclosed run and a fenced off area of the garden. We have included a few boredom busters to help them but still we are having the issues. We could really do with some help please on what we can do. Thank you in advance.
 
#2 ·
Is there plenty of space for them?

There are only two options, one is pulling the trouble maker out and leaving her in a separate area where she can't see or hear the others for a couple of weeks. Or rehoming her.

Otherwise it sounds as though you've done a great deal to divert the trouble.

And just in case, can you post some pics of the birds missing feathers?
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Bird Phasianidae Comb Chicken Beak
Bird Vertebrate Light Phasianidae Chicken
Bird Chicken Phasianidae Beak Comb
Bird Chicken Beak Comb Phasianidae
Bird Phasianidae Comb Chicken Beak
Thanks Robin416

we are struggling to work out the culprit as we don't see much pecking going on day to day. We are assuming the culprit is the one who has all her feathers! They have a 2.4mx2.4m run which is fox proof and an 8x3 m outside pen which they use in the day. I have attached some photos, please ignore some of the purple, she got caught in the cross fire of treating another one.
 
#4 ·
That is some of the worst I've seen.

Does she have one that she seems close to? I don't know how hard it would be to divide you coop in half to separate them into pairs but that would give you an opportunity to find the culprit.

The picking would stop on the two and then there's the possibility for the third bird to come up with missing feathers. Then you'll know who's doing it.

That culprit needs to be dealt with in one way or another before it draws blood.
 
#5 ·
Have you looked/treated for mites? in one of the pictures, the bird in upper most right corner that looks purple and multicolored, her bum looks like mites have taken to her.
 
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