Hi-
I'm new to the group and live near New Orleans, Louisiana. I was given a group of hens and a rooster by my mom about a year ago. All was fine until I added several new hens. A few of them started hen pecking and defeathering the back end of a few hens. Then my rooster died of old age. The pecking got worse. I have dusted them for mites. Sprayed bluing on their red butts and backs. It gets better for a while then gets worse again. I was told by a local breeder to get another rooster so I did. The pecking lessened for about 2 weeks and has not gotten worse again. Again I dust and spray, have added fruit and veggies to their yard. They are on a good feed, have fresh water constantly, fresh hay in thier boxes. They have a very big house with plenty of roosting boxes. They have a fenced in yard about 12' X 16'. They can not free range due to local hunting dogs that run loose and would eat them. Their yard has a sun screen on the top during the summer and the house has a fan for cooling in the summer and a heater fan during the winter so I don't think it is a temperature problem. I currently have 11 hens and a rooster. I have lost about 8 hens over the last year for unknown reasons. Does anyone have any ideas how I can stop the defeathering?
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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