You need to observe them in action for a bit to see what is going on. Get yourself a cup of coffee and head out into the yard, pick a comfy chair and just watch them. It could be that your other hen is picking the hen's bottom, especially if the picked one is at the bottom of the pecking order. Usually they do this out of either boredom or poor nutrition (if they eat the feathers they pull, they need more protein). If this is the case, I'd seperate them for a while until her feathers can grow back, and also provide diversions in the way of food goodies--give them something else to peck besides each other's hineys. :) Raw corn on the cob or the old cabbage-on-a-string is good--anything that takes time to eat and is fun. If they need more protein offer live mealworms, scrambled eggs or cooked ground beef.

The other possibility is mites. If you see them preening themselves excessively that's a tip off to a mite problem. check the bottom, fluffy part of their feathers and see if you spot any crawlies, especially on their undercarriage and their bottoms (and their feet if they are booted). If they have mites it is very important that you take care of it, mites can suck the life right out of right chickens, not just make them miserable. Dust them with Sevin, dose them with Ivermectin, give them DE--whatever your treatment of choice is. With all our rain and resulting constant dampness and mud around here, we've had a terrible mite problem that is proving difficult to control. :( I'll be glad when everything dries out and the girls can dustbathe again!

Velvet ~:>

Thank you - again - Velvet.

I do have some DE and will use it more frequently - also some Sevin. They do dig into the compost I've added to their yard at times/dustbathing - but not too often.

They get a lot of garden grass, vegetable leaves, etc. plus compost grubs and pill bugs - but perhaps could use more. Being cooped up probably does create a lot more social/environmental problems -

They get the usual cracked corn, pelleted layer feed and people food - sometimes, and do eat a lot.

Appreciate the reply.

Bejay