Please can anybody tell me why one of my leghorns has decided to eat feathers. Seems to be a lot of them in the bottom of the coop but not sure if she is also feather plucking.Why would she be eating feathers and could this do her any harm. Has anybody got any ideas what I should do she's swallowing them whole worried they may harm her in some way.
Feather Eating
- Thread starter frizzle1
- Start date
chrismahon
Well-known member
A lot of ours eat smaller feathers that fall out. They leave the larger ones like wing and tail feathers. I have always assumed it was because they contain some nourishment. Some used to pick feathers out of the other hens and eat them but isolation broke their habit. We had a young Cream Legbar that ate all the feathers she found and became crop bound -she's now an older and wiser Legbar. I suggest you keep a close eye on her and check her crop isn't getting crammed up. If it is we treated Molly with cod liver oil and a lot of massaging.
Thank you for your replys.Least I know that my hens not the only one to do it.Will have to keep an eye out to make sure she's not feather pulling from the others,if she is will have to separate her for a bit.It's normally only smaller feathers she eats, and she eats a lot of them.Thanks again
E3lx
New member
Yeah, they eat them coz of the nourishment, feathers contain loads of protein, which helps them grow new feathers.
If you are worried about her chocking on larger feathers, you could remove them from the coop wih a rake, but they should not cause any probs.
If you are worried about her chocking on larger feathers, you could remove them from the coop wih a rake, but they should not cause any probs.
