Have you ever walked outside to your coop, and noticed one of your hens looked like she lost a very intense fight with the lawn mower?
Or like she had been drug down the interstate, bouncing around at 70 MPH, feathers going everywhere?
Bare skin.
Feathers everywhere.
Just a really rough looking hen that really needed a serious makeover (or backup)?
Perhaps I just described molting; or maybe your chicken really is fighting the good fight….
How to Stop Chickens from Pecking Each Others’ Feathers Out
If the situation is more “chicken assault” than molting humor, you could have a real problem on your hands. Chickens can and will peck each others’ feathers out, but you have to be 100% sure that is the problem. If you are convinced, you have even more trouble shooting to complete, so stick with me, and be sure to explore ALL potential causes, tricks, and solutions. If there is a serious aggression issue at hand, you could wind up with a lifeless bird; if the cause is simply molting, you can sit back and relax!
If you find wounds on your chickens, please be sure to treat them with a wound care spray that is made specially for birds. First aid is always important to keep on hand, especially with prey livestock such as chickens.
Assessing the Situation: Are the Birds Molting, or Being Attacked By Predators, Instead?
Before you assume that the chickens are hurting one another (especially those who have lived together for a while), you need to rule out the process of molting. This can be tricky from afar, especially if only one bird is missing feathers. Capture the bird(s) in question, and examine the areas where feathers are missing.
- Do you see new pin feathers coming in?
- Is the skin mostly free of trauma?
- Is the balding area moving from head to toe, over the course of a few weeks?
- Are you finding intact feathers strewn about the yard, that belong to the balding chickens?
If the answer to most of these questions is “yes!”, then you likely have a molting bird. However, if there is trauma to the skin, blood, a single bald area among thick, full feathers, and a pile of the missing feathers on the ground by the fence or in the coop, then it’s possible something is attacking the chickens. Watch for dog, rat, coyote, raccoon, skunk, opossum, and weasel attacks in the near future, as well as attacks from the other chickens. Missing feathers and a wound could mean a botched hunt by a predator, who might be back soon.
My Birds ARE Pulling Feathers Out! Are My Chickens Getting Enough Protein?
If your birds have always gotten along up until now, you might need to double check your feed! This is especially true if there are some molting birds, grow outs, or brooding hens; higher protein is required during these life stages. Even healthy birds can fail to obtain enough protein if their feed is not well balanced, or if there are not enough bugs or grains to feed on while free ranging.
If you have a flock that is mature, currently laying, not brooding, is not pastured, and isn’t molting, they should be fed a complete layer ration. This feed should have a protein content of 15% or higher. Free ranging chickens may not require as much feed, but you must keep an eye on their health. As warm weather fades, the foraging will become sparse very quickly
If your flock is still growing, molting, or brooding, and you are currently feeding a 15% protein feed at a rate of 0.25 lb/chicken, you need to add additional protein. You can do this by offering your chickens a high protein snack such as these meal worms, or you need to offer a higher protein feed, such as grower.
Is the Rooster the Culprit?
If you have a rooster, especially a young one, it is very possible that he is the problem. Observe him around his hens, as he may have favorites. These favored hens will be mounted far more often, resulting in a more obvious loss of feathers on the head and back as compared to the others. If he is younger, he may also be a bit too aggressive with his hens as he explores maturity, growing from a cockerel to a domineering rooster. Some young cockerels are a bit too enthusiastic with their newfound maturity, and they take it out on the hens. If he becomes too much of a problem, you may need to separate him from the flock for a while. Here is one of my posts on dealing with aggressive roosters, in case you need a few methods for restoring order.
If you have multiple roosters and the victim is a rooster himself, then it is time to separate the birds to prevent further injuries. Roosters are very territorial, and some will fight until their rival is no longer alive. Other roosters are incredible docile, and are only involved in fights when attacked. It all depends on the bird’s genetics, breed, and disposition. You may even have 10 roosters who get along perfectly fine; every homesteader’s flock is different, just like a fingerprint!
Do Your Chickens Have Parasites, Such as Mites, Lice, or Ticks?
If your birds have a parasite problem, feather loss could be two fold.
On one hand, parasitic insects can cause feather loss as they feed on the bird. As the population continues to grow, the bird’s health continue to dip. If the bird has a large parasite load, he or she may become gravely ill. Internal parasites can cause problems too, especially with a heavy load. If the bird seems pale, lethargic, thin, or otherwise inactive, be sure to rule this out. Certain pests like red mites will stay in the coop rather than live on the birds; learn to search for coop mites so that you can inspect the coop on a regular schedule, treating it as necessary.
On the flip side, birds who see parasitic insects on one another (especially those who are kept in a fixed run without grass and insects) are far more inclined to peck at each other. They may be trying to eat the insects repeatedly, but are causing damage to the feathers on another bird. This can be an issue in areas with a high tick population.