We have one roo and five hens. We noticed one hen in particular was losing her feathers on her back and around her wings. We figured it was from the roo being rough and because he favors her over the others. So, I purchased some hen saddles and put them on each of the girls. A few minutes later I caught the hen in question plucking her own feathers out of her wings. The only thing I could find on this topic seemed to indicate a protein deficiency. This makes sense because I also suspect this is the hen that has been eating eggs from time to time. We use a good quality locally mixed layer feed and supplement with grit and oyster shell. We also mix in some Omega booster. I was wondering if I could/should mix in some protein powder to help boost the protein content. (I have plenty of protein powder in the house since I have to drink it from time to time.)Any thoughts? Or, am I on the wrong track? This particular hen has been the one that needs the most attention from the very beginning. She got sour crop when she was little and has been the runt of the group all along.
