2/3 of my hens are pecking

[andythegirl]

hello - these are our first hens, so bare with me as we are learning as we go

i have a small 6 month old flock,- 2 marans and 1 bantam ameraucana. our black maran has seen the most pecking by our white maran— on her chest, wing feathers and her once beautiful tail feathers are awry as well. she in turn is pecking our bantam. i check for mites and lice, but have not seen on any of the hens. i also suspect the black maran could be plucking at her own chest feathers? all hens are still laying...

they have a 6x10 run. since the pecking, have increased their free range time to 4-5 hours outside (frequent aerial predators prevent us from letting them be out all day long), upped 19% protein feed and grubblies, multiple feeding stations, hung vegetable feeders to entertain them while in the run. ive put blu kote on and i spray vetericyn on the feathers, but any taste doesn't seem to deter either..... still they continue to peck. its been a few weeks and i suspect the two have developed a bad habit that needs to be broken...

any suggestions? alternative sprays or peepers? separating both pecking hens?

thanks for your kind input and help!

 

[sourland]

I'd give the Pin Less Peepers a try. Frequently they can be removed once feathers have regrown.

 

[andythegirl]

I'd give the Pin Less Peepers a try. Frequently they can be removed once feathers have regrown.

this was the next thing i was planning on trying...

thank you

 

[rayrose]

I had a white Maran that I had to eventually cull. She was sweet
to me, but a holy terror to my other 11 girls. I tried putting her in a
time out crate twice. But as soon as I let her out, she would go on
the attack for no reason. She laid the prettiest egg I've ever seen, and I still wish that I had her. But since she's been gone, the rest of the flock is at peace and that was all that mattered.
With your post, I'm beginning to think that aggressive behavior is inherent with the breed.

 

[andythegirl]

I had a white Maran that I had to eventually cull. She was sweet
to me, but a holy terror to my other 11 girls. I tried putting her in a
time out crate twice. But as soon as I let her out, she would go on
the attack for no reason. She laid the prettiest egg I've ever seen, and I still wish that I had her. But since she's been gone, the rest of the flock is at peace and that was all that mattered.
With your post, I'm beginning to think that aggressive behavior is inherent with the breed.

yes, she is so anxious and aggressive that i have been thinking that she is setting a bad tone! we only have 3 and my kiddos are pretty attached (we've already had to re-home 4/7 that turned out to be cockerels), i'm not sure how that would play out. but thank you for sharing and sheds some light!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Try the peepers, or maybe try pine tar too - I haven't tried it myself but some folks say it's a more effective deterrent than the BluKote.

 

[253Orange]

We are trying the peeper glasses, I will let you know how it goes. At the feed store, they told me to try Vicks on the chickens who have had their feathers plucked. They are a mess! I can't wait till the weather is nicer next week., they are all getting baths.

 

[mrsckennedy1121]

Hi, how did the peepers work? Or the vicks? Having the same issue with 9/11 hens. They have free range time and chicken saddles already but won't stop picking their neck feathers.