Pecking

[Anonymous]

Hi there, I have 3 ex batts and for the last couple of days 1 has kept 'pecking' at anothers tail feathers. There are no signs of mites or blood or anything, the feathers are wet when I go up to check but while I'm there the other continues to do it and it looks like she is making them wet rather than there being a problem with the 'pecked' chook. Other than this there is nothing at all that concerns me about the girls, they never fight, they pretty much follow each other round all day, they all feed and drink as normal

What's causing it?

 

[Tim]

Can you have a really close check at the base of the feathers for Northern Fowl Mite - they can cause the feathers to go 'greasy' I believe. We need to work out why they are wet .

Also, feather pecking is a bad vice they can get into in a small run- are they bored? Can you give them some free range / more space to keep them occupied scratching around? If not, you can hang bunches of greens to make them jump an inch or two and hang old CDs and put a perch / branch for them to hop on / off - things to keep them amused. A dust bath in a tray is also good in a quiet corner.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Tim, thanks for the reply.

Yep I've had a good look over the hen and can't see anything untoward.

They have free range time each day when I'm in the garden (live on the edge of 2 roads), I have a couple things for them to do in there but will put more in tomorrow anyway. Don't like to think of my girls being bored

Thanks again