[magiemay]

My light sussex, who is normally such a placid girl, is behaving badly just lately.
She has started pecking at the other birds around their tails and vents and eating the fluffy  feathers.  I've sprayed the girls with feather pecking spray which has slowed her down a bit but I was wondering if any body knows if it will do Lilly-White any harm or why she suddenly has started this habit.
 

[orchardlady]

The feather themselves will do your naughty hen no harm. However the hens that are having their feathers pulled out will surely rather they weren't. I would suggest you put a ring clip on the perpetrators beak. This will hopefully stop the problem and she will forget about her new past time. If you leave this to continue you may find the other birds learn to do this feather pulling/pecking and then you will find yourself in the situation of having birds with sore areas that then get pecked even more. Try to enrich their environment, give them lot's to do and add real interest with hanging greens, logs to play on, hiding places etc etc.
Nip the problem in the bud before it escalates.

OL

[joyfull]

some hens will just stand there and allow another to pull out the feathers to eat. However it is often a sign that they need something extra in their feed - perhaps try increasing the protein for a short while to see if this helps.

[magiemay]

Thanks to both of you for the advice, I will try putting extra things into the run to try and take Llilly-white's mind off her new habit, she's not been quite so bad today - I think the smell of the anti feather pecking spray might have put her off, but I certainly don't want any of the others joining in.  Also I have been giving them a different brand of pellets lately as I couln't get to the usual farm because of the snow, perhaps this might have been something to do with it.  Will see how she goes with the old mix and some new toys.  Thanks again.
                                                                        Magiemay