After successfully raising the six Red Comet chicks to laying age and twenty eight Buckeye chicks through the first twelve weeks this year, we thought it was going to be smooth sailing. But no, things never go quite as planned…..
As the Buckeye’s were moving into week 13, they abruptly started picking the feathers off of each other’s back and eating them. Within two days, some of them were beginning to show bare backs where all the feathers had been picked away. Naturally, we were anxious about this behavior (a form of cannibalism) and wanted to get it stopped ASAP.
After posting on the Backyard Chickens forum (Buckeye Breed thread), I learned that there are typically three things that can lead to this type of behavior in chicks, and we were guilty of letting all three things become a factor:
- Protein Deficiency – Since the Buckeyes have game bird in their background, I’d been very careful to use 29% protein turkey or game bird starter (both contained both plant and animal protein) for the first twelve weeks. But in the last trip to the feed store, they’d run out of turkey or game bird starter, and had either 24% protein organic or 19% protein non-organic (read containing animal protein) grower. I opted for the higher protein organic since we’d always fed the Red Comets organically and I thought it was just the higher protein the Buckeyes needed.
- Overcrowding – In addition to abruptly changing the Buckeyes to an organic diet, their quarters were getting tighter and tighter as they got bigger (they’re being raised in a 10’ x 10’ barn stall). There was really no good reason not to let them free range as they were certainly old enough, but I was being overprotective because a hawk got one of the Red Comets.
- Boredom – We’d not been giving them much to keep them occupied in their stall – like scratch, corn cobs, branches to play on, etc.
Fortunately, I only bought one bag of the organic feed, and we started supplementing that with cat food (chickens generally love cat food and it usually contains relatively high levels of animal protein) as soon as we saw the behavior change. The next day it was back to the feed store for the 19% animal protein grower, the chickens started free ranging, and scratch/corn cobs/branches suddenly appeared in their stall.
Within two days of making changes to combat the feather picking, the behavior completely stopped. They’re back to healthy, happy birds; and the missing feathers are all growing back. Based on the experience, it appears that at 12 weeks, the 19% protein is high enough for the Buckeyes, but they need some animal protein in their feed. The whole ordeal just reinforced that with animals it’s always important to pay attention, it’s never a good idea to make sudden changes, and smooth sailing is a temporary condition.
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Cilla Davidson says
Hi Lesa
An update from me here in the Scottish Borders. My two hens died around the age of four recently but I have bought two new POL hybrids. They have hardly any red in their emerging combs yet, but hopefully they will start laying soon and fingers crossed they will have nice personalities like the other two who laid eggs until they were three plus. Nice to hear from you again.
Cilla
Cilla Davidson says
My other free range chicken had a normal moult in February and now both are back to looking very healthy once more. Regarding the one who was doing the feather plucking I had to resort to buying an evil tasting spray from the pet store. I know because I got some on my hands and it took a day to get rid off! ( March now and they are laying an egg each every other day.)
Cilla
Lesa says
Glad to hear they are back to laying and looking healthy! Also interesting that they’re 3 years old, and laying well – what breed of chicken are they?
Paula says
We usually get chick starter @ 24% since I sometimes hatch a few turkeys with my chicks.This last time my husband said he got 20% chick starter and my 3 month old chicks have been cannibalizing each other. They start pecking the rear, defeathering the tail and sides. If I don’t get there in time, they peck until the vent is completely gone and the chick bleeds out, then they eat the carcass. It is horrible. The 4 Buff Orphingtons are the main instigators. They lead and then the other chicks will start to follow at the end of the “take-down”. They’ve taken out 4 of my full size game chicks and today a Cinnamon Queen, possibly 2, we’ll see if the second gal makes it til the morning. The game chicks were full size, not defective in anyway, and actually are better layers, healthier,and require less feed when their grown, so I’m really upset over their loss.I’ve never had Buffs before,are they known for this. There were 16 chicks in a 8’W x 12’L x 8’H transition cage with two 4′ perches and a 4’nesting box filled with hay to play in. I had to do an emergency shuffle this afternoon and separate them into different pens until I can figure out how to keep them safe. In the end, I can’t let them graduate to the 20′ x 60′ pen if they will put my other birds in danger. Can I add something to their diet to correct this? Is this behavior hereditary? I don’t want them passing it on. Will I ever be able to trust them? Any suggestions?
Lesa says
Paula, I’ve been puzzling over this for a few days now, and I don’t have any answers. This behavior certainly seem extreme, particularly since it seems they should be getting sufficient protein and have a good bit of room. I’ve never had Buff Orphingtons but I didn’t think they were overly aggressive – maybe someone else will have some ideas?
Cilla Davidson says
One of my two pet free range chickens age 3 years has started feather plucking in a big way. Seems like a bad time to do this. (new year 2012 ) They are free range with main diet being Dodson and Horrell layers pellets or porridge oats wih hot water if it’s a cold morning. Over Christmas they have eaten a lot of scraps too and also a small plate of Chum dog food. Could this be the problem?
Cilla
Lesa says
Well, it doesn’t seem like overcrowding or boredom would be an issue with two that free range, so maybe too many scraps and not enough protein? Feathers have lots of protein so maybe she’s supplementing her diet after eating too many Christmas goodies.
Jenn Andersen says
I have to admit that I am concerned about commercial cat food (and commercial dog food for that matter). I don’t feed it to my cats due to the unknown quality of the ingredients and poor sourcing of materials. Instead, I make my own cat (and dog) food from fresh fish, chicken and beef. Most of which I feed to them raw. I would not feed my chickens chicken in any form of course, but I have read that raw beef (like hamburger) is fine for them. Perhaps raw fish is too? Seems like either of these would solve the problem for those of us who don’t want to use commercial cat food as a protein source (though I don’t blame you if you do, it sure is convenient!). Any thoughts on this?
Gary says
I had read elsewhere that you had organic eggs, but you feed animal protein from unfounded sources [cat food] which contains byproducts of likely cancerous or diseased chicken parts. Being organic means your animals can’t come in contact with this stuff when you’re growing them as it leaves toxins. I would not recommend eating your eggs or meat to anyone period……
Lesa says
We feed the adult chickens organic 16% protein feed – the baby Buckeyes ate cat food one night when we had this feather picking emergency so they would quit the feather picking. We don’t believe a bit of cat food as babies will negatively affect the wonderful eggs they produce today as adults.
Steph says
Thank you so much! I will definitely try the cat food thing. We have already changed to the non-organic 16% feed and they literally just gobbled it up when we first served it to them. It’s like they were starving for it! It’s been less than a week and my husband feels that they have already started putting on a bit more weight (they were starting to get a bit light there too). So we’re happy.
I have asked heaps of people the same thing I asked you, and you were the only one that could give me a clear and consise answer. Thank you!
You wouldnt happen to know the best way to stop a chicken from being broody would you? Even after we take the eggs from her, she still goes back to the empty nesting box to lay on nothing!
Much appreciated 😀
Lesa says
Hormone changes cause the hens to be “broody”, so it’s not something that happens overnight or that can be reversed overnight. The hens temperature increases (so she can better incubate eggs) and she will often pull the feathers from her chest to get better contact with the eggs. I haven’t had this problem yet, but it’s generally recommended that the hen be removed from the nest and put in a cage so she can’t get back to the nest and her temperature will reduce. Once her temperature comes back to normal, her “broodiness” will be over. I’m really hoping one of ours will go broody in the spring and raise chicks!
Steph says
Thank you so much for your advice. I also read an old fashioned way to bring her temp down is to dunk her bum in some room temperature water. We did this a few times yesterday and for the first time in a while she’s kept out of the coop and doing normal non-broody things again!
And an update on the feather plucking – We changed the food to a higher protien mix about a week and a half ago, and already we’re noticing that they’ve barely plucked since. They have also put on a bit more weight (as they were getting a bit lanky there) and they’re already starting to get some feathers back! All in a week! So thank you for your advice. it was well appreciated. 🙂
Lesa says
That dunking in water is a good remedy to know for broody hens – thanks for sharing. Someone else will need help on that again. And we were also amazed at how quickly a change in feed caused them to stop feather picking.
Paula says
I read about a trick that I tried on one of my Rhode Island Red Hens. She “went broody” but wasn’t sitting on any eggs. I would force her out with the other hens to eat. She would take one peck, turn tail and run right back up to her empty nest. After a month and a half I feared losing her. The trick was to fill up gallon Zip-Lock bags with ice and keep them in her nest until she quit being broody. We went through quite a bit of ice, but it only took 2 days to convince her she didn’t want to sit anymore.
Steph says
That’s the most clear article I could find on feather plucking. Thank you! I have a few questions:
What type of cat food do you use? ie dry, tinned, etc?
How long do you suggest to use the cat food as a short-term soloution?
The highest chicken feed I could find has only 16% protein. The current one we’re using is organic and it only has 13% and our chickens are really going bald. We only have four chickens free range in our yard – so overcrowding shouldnt be an issue. However I wonder with the boredom. They have quite a few garden beds that they spend all day digging in, so I thought this would be enough to keep them stimulated? What else would you suggest to ease the boredom?
Thanks!! Steph
Lesa says
Steph, we use the dry cat food, and we look for it to contain animal protein for the Buckeyes. We found some that was around 30% protein I believe – read the label. It doesn’t need to be anything expensive, kitten chow will also work and is smaller so somewhat easier for them to eat.
It sounds to me like neither overcrowding or boredom are the problems for your birds. I would guess 13% protein is too low for them, so they’re supplementing their diet with feathers which are high in protein.
For our Red Comet chickens, organic was ok but the protein level was at least 17%. For the Buckeyes, they didn’t like the organic even at 24% protein, but they’re fine at 19% and non-organic.
I would recommend getting the 16% protein feed, getting a big bag of catfood, start using the 16% protein, supplement with a little catfood every day, and see if the behavior stops. If it stops you can gradually ease off on the catfood, and use it as an occasional treat.
sablonneuse says
Thanks Lesa. It seems that ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ applies to hens as well!
sablonneuse says
Oh, can you really give chickens catfood? Ours love it but I read that it wasn’t good for them. Is it OK for laying hens to eat it?
Lesa says
There are alot of people that feed chickens catfood for the a protein boost or treat, but there are those that say it’s bad for them. I think a little in moderation as needed or if needed for a quick protein boost is ok – everyone has to decide for themselves. There are alot of discussions about it on BYC if you want to read more about it.
Doris says
Very good information….the last sentence applies to raising children as well.