Addressing Feather Picking in Backyard Chickens

Feather picking is a frustrating and distressing issue for many backyard chicken keepers. These feathered pets are not only delightful companions; they also provide fresh eggs and help maintain a healthy backyard ecosystem. However, when feather picking becomes a problem, it can lead to significant challenges for both chickens and their owners.

Feather and skin picking is a serious behavior problem exhibited by chickens under stress. If the stress is not identified and alleviated, feather picking can degenerate inot a flock-wide problem with deadly results.

Understanding Feather Picking

Feather picking, also known as feather plucking, occurs when one or more chickens peck at and pull out the feathers of themselves or their flock mates. Chickens learn picking behavior from each other, so ending unwanted picking as soon as it begins is critical to avoiding a bloody epidemic. Once the cause of the stress is determined, it's usually fairly easy to stop the picking by making minor adjustments in the flock.

By understanding the underlying causes, chicken owners can better manage and prevent feather picking.

Feather picking can stem from a variety of triggers, including boredom, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors. It is crucial for chicken owners to identify the specific cause in their flock to implement the most effective solutions.

Common Causes of Feather Picking

Boredom and Lack of Stimulation

Chickens are naturally curious and active creatures. When kept in a barren environment with little to no stimulation, they can become bored. This boredom often leads to destructive behaviors, such as feather picking.

Providing enrichment in the form of roosts, and daily activities can help alleviate boredom and reduce the likelihood of feather picking.

Stress and Pecking Order Dynamics

Chickens have a naturally hierarchical social structure, often referred to as the pecking order. When new members are introduced to a flock or when there are territorial disputes, stress levels can increase significantly. This heightened anxiety can trigger feather picking as a coping mechanism.

Monitoring flock interactions and ensuring a harmonious environment can reduce stress and, in turn, the incidence of feather picking.

Add new birds gradually, use a system called "The Play Pen Method" look but don't touch. It gives the two groups of birds to hear and see each other without physically touching, as this can be quite stressful to some birds and can lead to feather picking.

For more information on integrating new birds, refer to my blog How to Seamlessly Integrate New Chickens into Your Flock

Nutritional Deficiencies

A well-balanced diet is essential for the health and well-being of chickens. Nutritional deficiencies, particularly in protein and certain vitamins and minerals, can lead to feather picking.

Chickens that are deficient in protein, sodium and/or other dietary essentials may seek out sources of the lacking nutrients to satisfy their dietary needs. The deficiency can cause a chicken to peck excessively at their own preening gland, the feathers around it and the feathers of other birds. The preening gland, which is located at the base of the tail feathers, the oil in the gland is salty and hens will over-work the gland when deficient in certain nutrients.

An example can be found in social media groups where individuals share photos of their hens, which have lost feathers at the base of their tails, despite not having any roosters to cause the feather wear.

Ensuring that your chickens receive a balanced diet, which includes a high-quality nutritionally complete chicken feed and nothing else, no extras and no treats will solve this problem.

Environmental Factors

The environment in which chickens live plays a crucial role in their behavior. Overcrowded coops, runs, inadequate nesting spaces, and even extreme weather conditions can contribute to feather picking.

Providing ample space, proper ventilation, proper circulation and a comfortable living environment is vital to promoting the overall well-being of your flock.

Identifying Affected Birds

Not all chickens within a flock will engage in feather picking, which can complicate the situation. It is essential to identify which birds are offenders and which are victims.

Look for signs of feather loss and check for any resulting skin irritations or infections. Once the affected birds are identified, segregating them can be beneficial, allowing for proper treatment and recovery. Chickens that have open wounds can be treated with an

antiseptic wound spray.

Do not use products that tint the skin and feathers blue or purple for several reasons. Coloring the wound does not cover it up or conceal it from flock mates, in fact, the opposite is true. Chickens have superior color vision- better color vision than humans and a novel colored goo or spray on another chicken's body draws unwanted attention to the area, inviting exploration and problem picking!

Further, the main ingredient of most cover-up products is alcohol. which burns like the surface of the sun on an open wound. Finally, colored wound care dyes impede the ability to detect the first sign of infection, which is redness.

Strategies to Address Feather Picking

Providing Enrichment

One of the most effective strategies for combating boredom and encouraging natural behaviors in chickens is to provide enrichment.

Boredom busters-

• A gatorade bottle, cutting small holes in it and fill it with their chicken feed. They will knock it around and attempt to get the feed out, similar to the game of soccer. This activity helps keep them stimulated.

• Plastic Cage Cups, attach cage cups around the walls of the run to help spread out squabbling at the feeder. Make sure you empty them by the end of the day, to avoid attracting rodents.

• Incorporate various levels of roosts within the run, such as old chairs with the seat removed, leaving just the frame makes a good roost, tree stumps of varying heights, and saw horses. Use any creative ideas you have to offer them stimulation.

  
  

Regularly changing the flock's environment can help keep the chickens engaged and reduce the likelihood of feather picking.

For more information, please refer to my blog Enrichment Activities

Establishing a Balanced Diet

As previously mentioned, a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining healthy feathers and overall well-being.

Evaluate your current feeding practices to ensure your chickens are receiving all the essential nutrients they need. This proactive approach can help prevent nutritional deficiencies that lead to feather picking. A nutritionally complete chicken feed in a pellet or crumble is the best way to ensure they are getting every vitamin and nutrient they need.

I do not suggest a Layer Mash, as it contains different size grains mixed in and although it is nutritionally complete in the bag, chickens eat with their eyes and will pick out the biggest, brightest pieces and leave the rest behind. Now they have become malnourished as they have not consumed all the contents.

If you are feeding other things, even healthy things, it will throw off the balance of their chicken feed as their chicken feed contains all 38 nutrients they need to be optimally healthy, by feeding other things, now their diet will be unbalanced and that can lead to malnutrition, even though they are still receiving their chicken feed.

For more information, refer to my blog Diet and Nutrition with Laying Hens

Reducing Stressful Triggers

Monitoring the dynamics of your flock can reveal potential sources of stress.

To minimize conflicts, introduce new birds gradually and provide sufficient space for all flock members. Creating a calm atmosphere can significantly reduce stress and lower the chances of feather picking spikes. Example mentioned above, "The Play Pen Method"

Implementing Behavior Modification

For chickens that exhibit feather picking, behavior modification can be a helpful tool.

Consider providing distraction techniques, such as enrichment activities which involve their chicken feed or dust baths, to keep chickens occupied and engaged.

Conclusion

Feather picking is a multifaceted issue that can arise from various causes, including boredom, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors. Understanding the root of the behavior is crucial for effective intervention. By providing enrichment, ensuring a balanced diet, addressing stressors, and implementing behavior modification techniques, chicken owners can significantly reduce the occurrence of feather picking in their flocks.

With patience and dedication, you can keep your backyard chickens happy and healthy, allowing them to flourish as the feathered pets they are meant to be.

Arming yourself with knowledge and strategies is an essential step in addressing any behavior that threatens your flock’s well-being. Remember, a happy chicken is a productive chicken!