Feather Plucking Young Chicks in the Nest Box

When you get this problem in the nest box, when either the cock and hen is stripping the feathers from the back of the young chicks, it can turn into a major problem if you exhibit your young birds.

From about 24 days the parent bird will start to pluck the feathers from the back of the head and over the next few days will work down the back of the neck and over the back and wings until there are no feathers left.

The parent bird will not pluck out any of the flight feathers or tail feathers but in really bad cases they will pluck out feathers from across the breast of the young chick.

Though the reason for this is not known there are many thoughts on the mater. Some think that it is a deficiency in the parent bird, maybe calcium or minerals in their diet. Others say it may be boredom. Although there is no noted cure, there are a range of sprays which may deter the bird from pluck the feathers further. These are available at most pet shop outlets. If you have this problem then one thing is almost sure, if a bird plucks the first round chicks then they will almost certainly pluck the second.

Once out of the next box the parent bird seems to leave the chicks alone and given time they will feather up again. They will never be show as nest feather birds as the new feathers will be their adult ones. Many people think that this an hereditary trait and that youngster will often adopt the same habit. Maybe some will but the majority don't.