Topaz has been pulling feathers from the girl’s necks. She has so far targeted Butterscotch on the head and breast, Honey and Emerald on the neck and now Toffee’s neck has just started to miss some feathers.
Honey has been pulling feathers from all the girls fluffy behinds. I have seen her pull a handful of feathers from Butterscotch and today she was trying to pull feathers from Peaches and Barley and then Speckles behind. I shout NO NO NO every time I see this and move between her and the target.
I am so upset to see this again and just can’t understand why this has started now. These two girls were the only ones that were part of the flock when this happened before but surely they can’t remember this behaviour from so far back and why now!
I think it’s to do with the start of egg laying and raging hormones because this sort of behaviour always starts at this time of year.
Emerald is getting a bare neck
Emerald’s bare patch
Honey is getting a bare neck
Toffee is just starting to get a bare patch
Toffee has a pale patch just below her beak which is where she is just starting to lose some feathers.
When I got Butterscotch out for her break today, I put her down on the patio and Topaz rushed over to her and pulled some of the fluff from her head. This is all that she has left on her head.
Butterscotch’s remaining head feathers
Butterscotch’s missing neck/breast feathers
I have also seen Topaz target this area on her breast and it is remaining patchy.
I hope against hope that this is a phase that will pass. I can’t re-home any more girls, especially little girls. I also can’t bare the thought of having a ragged flock like before.
I guess only time will tell and we will have to wait to see how this progresses and just keep everything crossed that it passes.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
No I’m not having them!..I would love to though? It sounds as you say like a hormone thing but isn’t it also to do with protein?
The other thing is of course just copying which soon becomes a habit. We know they do copy what others do.
So could you separate the main culprit ( who ever that is) into a sin bin therefore breaking the cycle?
It’s not lack of protein. They have sunflower hearts every morning and I have given treats of fish and sometimes scrambled egg.
I have thought of separating but it’s such a faff and it’s both Topaz and Honey so they would probably just pluck each other. It’s the thought of it becoming a habit that I dread the most.
I am so frustrated by this. I think I will just have to hope it passes.
Yes I know they have loads of protein so I think it’s a habit that has been copied.
Topaz and honey together would be oven ready not an option .
I Agree. Also I separated Pepper and Dotty and they not only continued to pluck each other but as soon as they were back with the flock they carried on the same. The little girls are also much more difficult to pick up and it would all be a bit of a nightmare.
I do hope they stop, but Jackie might well be right – they do learn behaviours from one another. I managed to stop Longtail last year by separating her for a few days and, fingers crossed, there has been no recurrence. The non-laying top hen separated would no doubt upset the status quo of the pecking order, but I’d think seriously about trying. Good luck>:)
The problem is that it is Topaz and Honey doing this but at different ends. If I separate them they will just pluck each other. It didn’t work with Pepper and Dotty, they plucked each other and then carried on with the others when I put them back in.
I am so frustrated by this but I think for now I will just have to wait and hope it passes. I even thought about re-homing Topaz but as it’s Honey as well it’s not an option.
What about something to try and distract them. Like hanging a cabbage in the run like a tether ball for them to peck at. Or a treat ball filled with seeds so they have to work to get them out.
I do try to distract them. I will try a cabbage and as soon as turf is back in the garden centre I will get one for them.
The trouble is with trying to distract them although a good idea is that you can’t distract them 24 -7 .
A turf or cabbage will last a day or so and there are the hours at night when they are in their sleeping quarters.
I really don’t know the answer except that changing the status quo is a possibility . …how is the question.
I have seen them and it does not seem to bother them and unless you can hear screams and shouts I’m not sure what you can do.
Sorry I can’t help more.
I agree. I have already been trying to distract them but as you say nothing distracts them 24-7. I also agree that it doesn’t bother them – it just bothers me. I don’t want them to end up looking like last time! Yesterday I didn’t see Topaz do it at all but I did see Honey go for fluffy bottoms a few times. At the moment it doesn’t show on the girls. They never make any fuss about it and just let it happen which is frustrating. I think only time will tell.