Vent pecking... healing bloody vents.

[Mthrclckr5]

About a week ago I went out and found 2 hens with bloody vents and 2 with featherless bruised vents. The remaining hen was completely in tact. Not a feather missing. I have separated out the 2 bloody hens washed them up and cared to their trauma. I've applied pick no more to all 4 bare bottoms! We live in Wisconsin and it's cold. After a few days of supervised run time that seemed to be going well and segregation I left the 5 of them in the coop and run together for an hour and I have blood again. It had seemed like they were pecking each other not 1 real bully. Any ideas how to remedy this. I was trying to keep them familiar so when I put the 2 back in they would have a rough time. However it's cold and I'm not sure that keeping the hens segregated in the coop will keep the warm enough without the body heat of the other hens. Any ideas!? These are 29 week hens that have been laying about a month. SL wyandotte not bothered, australorp bare bottomed, easter egged bare bottomed, blue orpington bloody has it the worst, and Red Comet bloody.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How big is your set up? And what are you feeding them? Most picking is from boredom or crowding or a protein deficiency.

You can keep them separately if necessary. They will keep themselves warm. It's better than letting them continue to peck. They will eventually kill each other if it continues.

A quick short term solution can be to put pinless peepers on them until you figure out why or you break the habit.

 

[Mthrclckr5]

The ladies have a 5x14 enclosed run and a 5x5 coop. Free range is not an option as we live in city limits. They are fed layer feed with scratch and veggies and greens. They are currently separated in the garage as its 3 degrees tonight.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The ladies have a 5x14 enclosed run and a 5x5 coop. Free range is not an option as we live in city limits. They are fed layer feed with scratch and veggies and greens. They are currently separated in the garage as its 3 degrees tonight.

You might want to switch to a higher protein ration. I personally like something with 18-20%. I feed either a non medicated starter grower or an All Flock ration with a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs.

Your coop is a bit tight for chickens in Wisconsin as often they need to spend time locked in it during bad winter weather. Is the run covered so they can use it daily?

I'm in Wisconsin too. We are gonna get pretty cold over the weekend.

 

[Mthrclckr5]

The run is covered and wrapped in plastic to keep the wind out. I'll look into higher protein feed and things to keep them occupied. Change the run up a bit. Hopefully that will work.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If it continues try the peepers. Sometimes as pullets sexually mature and come into laying they can get a bit moody. They usually mature out of it.

If possible I would expand the run next year. The breeds you have tend to need a bit of daily exercise to stay mentally and physically tired.

 

[Mthrclckr5]

I've ordered some peepers. The 3 ladies that weren't in confinement have been pecking amongst themselves and now I have 2 more with bloody rearends. I've now changed up who is in Jail as the 2 who previously were bloody seem to get along. Hoping I get the peepers in and everything balances back out. I rearranged the run added more to do and changed to a mixed flock feed with higher protein. added additional feeders and waters.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've seen chickens cannibalize each other. It's a rotten way to go. I'm wishing you luck. If nothing else, they wear the peepers as long as necessary.