A depressed hen?

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J

Jolowicz

In the Brooder
Dec 21, 2023
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We've had three hens since March. All was harmonious until a few weeks ago when one started plucking feathers off another one's back. The victim was moulting so I thought that was the problem, separated them for a couple of days (they could still see each other) then put them back and all was fine until a week later when the aggressor basically ate quite a lot of the victim's rump, reducing it to a bloody mess of raw meat. The victim has recovered and we've partitioned the run using a large fly-screen so the aggressor can see the other hens but not bite them. But she seems depressed, with her tail down and less activity than usual though her comb is a good colour and her eyes are bright. It's too risky to put her back with the others so I don't know what to do. Given that she's vicious I can't really offer her to anyone else. I'm afraid that although she can see the other two she is languishing.
 
nuthatched said:
What's her diet? Cannibalism is usually a sign of nutrition deficiency or cramped quarters
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They all have special poultry mixed grains which include wheat, maize, dried peas and linseed in their feeder, plus lots of greenery, and wheat and mealworms as an afternoon snack, plus occasional scraps of cheese, pasta, rice, couscous and squash seeds. Their shed is probably 4 square metres in area with three perches and a high roof, and the run is 24 square metres (now divided 8/12). It may be worth mentioning that the other two are laying steadily but it's over two weeks since the aggressor has laid.
 
Jolowicz said:
They all have special poultry mixed grains which include wheat, maize, dried peas and linseed in their feeder, plus lots of greenery, and wheat and mealworms as an afternoon snack, plus occasional scraps of cheese, pasta, rice, couscous and squash seeds. Their shed is probably 4 square metres in area with three perches and a high roof, and the run is 24 square metres (now divided 8/12). It may be worth mentioning that the other two are laying steadily but it's over two weeks since the aggressor has laid.
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Unfortunately, that doesn't sound like a balanced diet. Lots of carbs and fat, low in vitamins and protein. Chickens desperately need protein.
Where are you in the world? Can you get chick starter feed?
 
The diet is what was recommended by the shop who sold us the hens; I am a novice. We're in France. What is chick starter feed? There may be a local equivalent.
 
At this point any kind of proper chicken feed would be better than what they are currently eating, even if it isn't chick starter or turkey feed. Chickens need a balanced poultry feed that's formulated to already contain everything they need, without you needing to supplement with anything else. Once you start mixing your own, especially without having the necessary knowledge and experience, you run the risk of distorting their nutritional balance and ending up with deficiencies and problems. The store that sold you the hens gave you bad advice, but sadly not everybody who sells chickens (or coops, for that matter) has the right knowledge, for some people it's just a job. Look for something labeled as "poultry feed" - there might be something online that you could order from, if you don't have a store nearby, or else look for a farm supply store or ask any local farms where they get their feed from.
 

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