[cammi]

my Araucana has just started laying, but for some reason she has also started pulling out the other girls feathers and eating them!  Just been watching her tonight and the problem is getting worse.  We are going away thursday for a week and i'm rather worried that while we are away and the hens are in their run 24/7 things will get very much worse, she is fine in the garden its when they get in the run.  And before anyone says boredom they couldn't get many morethings to do in their run.  I also suspect its a protein thing as she eats the feather and it coincides with her starting to lay 
 Anyway I have ordered some of those beak rings, but i'm wondering whether i should just bite the bullet and rehome her - but then who would want a bully hen??

Also for future ref are pure breeds more prone to this as none of the hybrids are doing it.

[Tigerwren]

Hi Cammi,
I'm sorry to hear about the feather eating, it is a nuisance.  I know that Hillfooter has posted on thi sin the past.  if you can rule out boredom, are you sure that your run is big enough when they are penned in?  Could you provide little hiding places perhaps? so that the others can get away from the bully?  I will watch with interest as a bully chicken can be a nightmare.  Can you maybe separate her for a while and then reintroduce? Good luck

[Aunt Sally]

I've had experience of them feather pecking when they first come in to lay.  

I assumed (perhaps wrongly) that it was because they suddenly had a greater need for protein than they were absorbing from their feed - it takes a little while to alter digestion and switch different enzymes on or off when their needs change suddenly.  

I give them a little extra protein for a little while and that seems to fix it.