Cannibalism targeting broilers

[saskmomma4]

Hi I'm a first time chicken owner and have about 40 dual purpose birds and started with 85 cornish x for meat. They have been confined to their home since chicks and we have been encountering a major issue. They have started killing each other. They start packing at the back thigh/hip area and pack giant holes into their guts until they are dead. I've been trying every trick in the book but it just keeps happening... I've used anti pack gel, vicks vaporub, hung CDs from strings, have a flock block, set up some perches and offered a dust bath, i also try to bring them treats every day... and it keeps happening, only to the broilers. I noticed a few with their heads covered in blood and I know they have to be instigators in this mess.

We decided to butcher some this weekend 26 down thinking it would help if they had more space... 5 have died in the last 3 days since. Its so frustrating cause they are big ones we can eat and I'm just tossing them to the dog.

This morning we decided to make a fence and a ramp so they can get out but none will stay out. I put them out and they go back in. Do I have crazy birds?

Any advice? I have some more eggs in the incubator and I'm now getting worried I'm making a huge mistake.

 

[True Patriot]

First thing that comes to mind is how much room do they have? Overcrowding and stress can cause major behavior issues. They still need adequate room, wether layers or broiler. What feed are they on? Lack of enough protein and nutrients can cause problems also.

 

[True Patriot]

Tossing dead chickens to the dog is a bad idea. First, the hollow bones can kill the dog by getting lodged in the digestive system. Second, you're giving the dog a "taste" for chicken. The next logical step for the dog is to help himself to the live ones

 

[aart]

Tossing dead chickens to the dog is a bad idea. First, the hollow bones can kill the dog by getting lodged in the digestive system. Second, you're giving the dog a "taste" for chicken. The next logical step for the dog is to help himself to the live ones

AFAIK raw bones are fine.....it's the cooked ones that can cause trouble.

They have started killing each other. They start packing at the back thigh/hip area and pack giant holes into their guts until they are dead.

Are you positive that a predator is not doing the killing...and the chickens are just taking advantage of a meal? Thinking small rodent, rat, weasel, etc.
What kind of space do you have, in feet by feet?
What and how are you feeding?
How old are these birds?

Welcome to BYC..sorry you are having troubles.
I'm guessing from your screen name that you are in Saskatchewan Canada, but...
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[True Patriot]

AFAIK raw bones are fine.....it's the cooked ones that can cause trouble
View attachment 1447110

You may be totally right. The way I understood it was the hollow bones splinter, which is what causes the problems. I never checked on cooked or raw. Always figured it's not worth taking the chance either way.

 

[aart]

Always figured it's not worth taking the chance either way.

Me neither, but many do without problems.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

I have been feeding my dogs (8) and cats (3) a raw food diet for about 20 yrs. No problems and healthier than feeding dog food.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Space maybe an issue.

Carefully inspect healthy birds, check for insects, injuries anything that might make a bird bleed... and thus a target. Chickens don’t seem to like petroleum jelly. I slathered the heck of that stuff on an injured hen, I also made her a protective rag cape coat out of a wash cloth amongst other things... idea was make her nasty in the others beaks and give her a cover not red and yummy looking to other hens.

Mice and Rats check for that.

Feed... my layers went stir crazy one molt and one ate all the other’s back feathers... with the help of game bird keepers advice I saved the hen whose back including skin had been cannibalized however the game bird keepers also suggested the problem was diet related, the girls needed more protein than in the standard layer feed despite what everyone else said, so I followed that advice and feed them more protein now and all molts have been cannibal free since, no more blood feather eating.

You may need to encourage them outside, put food and water outside of area you don’t want them to return too, spread it around, if trying to free range, close the coop after released.

Anti Cannibal light is a red one... that might help, I have not used them but they are available.

 

[Mosey2003]

You need to separate them firstly. If it is the DP birds going after the broilers and not a predator, they're able to do it because the broilers just aren't going to get up and run or fight back, they basically want to sit around and eat. I would hazard a guess that space is a big factor, probably did not have enough. At this point they may not stop no matter what you do, so you need to just give the broilers their own safe place. Not feeding enough protein can promote feather eating/plucking in chickens, which could end up going farther. It's really hard to tell online what the cause may be, but if it really is the other birds doing it, someone's gotta move.

 

[saskmomma4]

Thanks everyone! Yes space is for sure about issue we had plans of building a coop but my husband was injured and they have been living in a temporary home for some time, much longer than we originally planned.

Most of the broilers are half bald so I'm starting to think its stemming from feather picking. So I understand this happens because of lack of protein so I'm going to run to town this morning and get some black oil sunflower seed.

We only put up fence yesterday so I'm going to make sure they get out today (they kept going back in yesterday) I think I'll take the DP birds out and leave the broilers in all afternoon. It seems to happen in the afternoon mostly.

I am pretty sure the aren't any rats or mice or anything getting in I am 99% sure its the other birds.