Chicken bald back

[Millie-Annie]

Right, so I fitted the bumper bits last Weds and they have stopped laying. Neither have laid an egg since Friday. They are standing hunched and fluffed up, but come flying over for food and are still feather pecking, well going through the actions. I am worried they aren't getting enough to eat, and that is why they have stopped laying and why they look poorly.

 

But I now have a bigger problem. I can separate them and take the bumper bits off, but they both have lots of new feathers coming through. As soon as I take those bits off they are going to feather peck and these feathers, at this stage, will draw blood.

 

I really don't know what to do for the best

[The Dogmother]

I would leave the bits on, make sure that their feeders and drinkers are deep enough for them to reach the contents with the bits on.

 

Feather pulling starts for various reasons, so look at their diet; Is it nutritious enough or are they getting treats, is food readily available, and of a good quality?

 

Look at your stocking density - how many birds do you have and in what size run?

 

When did you last worm them, and do they have lice/mites? These can make them irritable and prone to pecking.

[Millie-Annie]

They have good quality layers pellets, they have corn. They have cabbages, broccoli, mealworms, oats. They free range across the top of the garden so loads of room.

 

I can worm them. I don't think they have mites as I check every week and the inside of their coop is plastered with diatoms. My husband paints the inside with water soluble adhesive and layers diatoms on, a bit like pebble dashing.

 

I have four birds, two ex-batts, an orpington and a brahma, neither the Orp nor the Brahma feather peck and I have never in all my ex-batts (14 of them) had this problem before. Anthony thinks it is an addiction to carotene in the feathers.

 

I have three of the food bowls you can clip to the side of the hanging up and I keep them filled to the brim of different things

 

So I don't know what else to do, but I am worried about them

 

I have been thinking about this and I don't think the feather pecking is anything I am doing as they arrived with the habit. These are the only ex-batts I haven't had directly from BHWT, they were in a rehoming centre for a few weeks first. The habit was noticeable immediately but I hoped with space, time, treats etc they would stop. They didn't they got worse and I made the decision to rehome two of them, because the blood drawing was getting worse. I thought I could cope with the other two, but then they started on my Orpington as well as each other and I deeply regret not rehoming the whole lot. The RSPCA took them and they went to a large flock with cockerels

[The Dogmother]

It is possible that they were kept in too close quarters at the rehoming centre; BHWT has a policy of sending them straight out, but not all rescues do this.I would cut down on al the extra treats they are getting and just feed their pellets with a little bit of green at the end of the day.

 

Worm with Flubenvet if you haven't done it in the last 3 months.

 

Feather pecking is a habit-formed action rather than an addition to the keratin. They have very simple brains when it comes to habits, and learn from watching each other. I have never had feather pecking in any of my pure breeds, but it is more prevalent in hybrids.

 

Let me know how you get on

[Millie-Annie]

They were kept at the rehoming centre for 3 weeks as they wormed them, vaccinated them and made sure they were healthy. Wish I'd just taken my chances with BHWT birds now.

 

Thank you, I will swap the treats for pellets. Would they be better shut in a smaller run, with just food for a few days? The problem is the other two eat out of their bowls as well as they see them as a treat.

[The Dogmother]

They would have already been vaccinated at hatching, so that's odd. I would stick with BHWT, who always aim to rehome on the same day.

[Millie-Annie]

I don't think I'd have any more ex-batts.

 

What do you think about separating them please?

 

My husband just said instead of pellets get them crumb, which is a fantastic idea

 

But then I will have to separate them as the other two will definitely see that as a treat

[clucker1]

MA, I've just read this, I think you are doing incredibly well and take my hat off to you for giving these birds a new lease of life . Any animal etc is such a worry when they aren't right for whatever reason, so please give yourself a pat on the back. When I've got more time in life I hope to take some battery chickens, but not at the moment with my present girls. I think you are doing a brilliant job,plus this forum is a great place to ask questions. Well done

[Millie-Annie]

Thanks. Chicken keeping when its good its very good, when its bad its bloody awful and heartbreaking

[The Dogmother]

It could be that the stress of the new environment and other hens is causing this problem... not on a big screen at the moment, so finding it hard to read back through the thread. I would split them , keep the bits on and start again.

[Millie-Annie]

but they are not in a new environment, I have had them since last October, nothing has changed for them. The flock size has decreased since I rehomed two ex-batts in November and lost Issey in May

 

They were perfectly happy until I put the bumper bits on, feather pecking but happy. They are still happy but seem to lack energy by the end of the day. They are eating well this morning in the side run

[The Dogmother]

Apologies,i am at work, and trying to follow a thread on my phone is hell. Let me respond later from home.