Why do chickens peck other chickens feathers out and eat them?
Chickens peck feathers for one of two reasons: 1) Boredom: if they are bored then picking feathers is just something to do, which is why battery hens have so few feathers when they come out. To combat this, you can try hanging up a head of lettuce in their run just above head height, so they have to reach up for it. Make sure they have enough space too. 2) Protein deficiency: Make sure they are getting layers pellets all the time. Scratch, or kitchen scraps are not sufficient, and should only ever be fed as treats. If you are already feeding layers pellets, then you can offer a little cat or dog food (dry or wet, doesn’t matter, but some say dry because you get less mess) to up their protein intake, and see if that works.
