Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[gracefruit]

I was outside winning friends with a cup of mealworms today when I noticed Toast eating a feather. I thought she was just playing about with it, but no -- she swallowed it! Is this normal?

[Egluntyne]

Yes. They do seem to have a liking for them.

[Boo&Fudge]

Hello

 

I was going to post exactly the same question. I noticed our girls eating feathers this evening when they were free ranging and even pulling them out of each other to eat. It didn't seem to bother the hen who was having the feathers taken! Is this normal/OK?

[gracefruit]

I'm glad mine isn't the only one. I know chickens are mad recyclers, but I was concerned that the feather eating might mean some sort of nutritional deficiency. But if they all do it, maybe not!

[New Girl]

I have a chook with a bald patch that never regrows, I mentioned it to Jude at Cotswold Chickens and she said chickens can get addicted to the keratin in the feather and that it wasn't a good sign for the feather regrowing !

 

Thankfully my chooks bald patch is only small.

[mrsallen08]

My dog eats the feathers from the run!

Quite funny when they come out other end!

[mrsallen08]

My dog eats the feathers from the run!

Quite funny when they come out other end!