keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Hiedi, I went back and looked at the picture you posted. I think they look like blood feathers. Some birds will pick at them for the additional blood protein, and a hen may be picking at herself.
Blood feathers, also called pin feathers, are new feathers that are starting to grow. Since they are actively growing, they need a large blood supply and will bleed if broken. Which is how they came to be called blood feathers.
Each blood feather grows from a follicle. The feather has an artery and vein that extend up into it from the follicle and nourish the feather. Due to the color of the blood supply, the shaft of a blood feather will appear dark, whereas the shaft of an older feather will be white.
A blood feather has a larger quill than a mature feather. A blood feather starts out with a waxy keratin sheath that protects it while it grows. When the feather is mature, the blood supply will recede and the waxy sheath will be removed by the bird.
Blood feathers appear during the molting process as old feathers are lost and replaced by new ones.
So I think you need to check the protein level of the laying feed you are using. Everything a bird eats affects the protein level of the feed. So if the feed is 16% or 14% or lower, this particular hen may be suffering from low protein levels. She sees her blood feathers as a ready source of protein.
Feather eating could also be a sign of a nutritional deficiency of methionine, which can be provided by feeding sunflower seeds. It is recommended that no more than 1/3 of a chicken's diet should come from sunflower seeds, because they can be high in fat. (Personally, we feed our flock 20% Purina FlockRaiser mixed 1/3 feed, 1/3 oats and 1/3 black oil sunflower seeds.)
Molting also causes feather loss, some birds drop and replace their feathers quickly, while others do it slowly. A feather is 85% protein. Increasing dietary protein helps stop pecking and helps regrowth of feathers. Lack of protein and amino acids will cause feathers to dry, break or curl up. Yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk or fish oil are good sources.
So I think wifezilla was right to question the protein she is getting. Personally, I'd up the protein rather than the drastic move of cull.
Blood feathers, also called pin feathers, are new feathers that are starting to grow. Since they are actively growing, they need a large blood supply and will bleed if broken. Which is how they came to be called blood feathers.
Each blood feather grows from a follicle. The feather has an artery and vein that extend up into it from the follicle and nourish the feather. Due to the color of the blood supply, the shaft of a blood feather will appear dark, whereas the shaft of an older feather will be white.
A blood feather has a larger quill than a mature feather. A blood feather starts out with a waxy keratin sheath that protects it while it grows. When the feather is mature, the blood supply will recede and the waxy sheath will be removed by the bird.
Blood feathers appear during the molting process as old feathers are lost and replaced by new ones.
So I think you need to check the protein level of the laying feed you are using. Everything a bird eats affects the protein level of the feed. So if the feed is 16% or 14% or lower, this particular hen may be suffering from low protein levels. She sees her blood feathers as a ready source of protein.
Feather eating could also be a sign of a nutritional deficiency of methionine, which can be provided by feeding sunflower seeds. It is recommended that no more than 1/3 of a chicken's diet should come from sunflower seeds, because they can be high in fat. (Personally, we feed our flock 20% Purina FlockRaiser mixed 1/3 feed, 1/3 oats and 1/3 black oil sunflower seeds.)
Molting also causes feather loss, some birds drop and replace their feathers quickly, while others do it slowly. A feather is 85% protein. Increasing dietary protein helps stop pecking and helps regrowth of feathers. Lack of protein and amino acids will cause feathers to dry, break or curl up. Yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk or fish oil are good sources.
So I think wifezilla was right to question the protein she is getting. Personally, I'd up the protein rather than the drastic move of cull.
