CANNIBALISM

[sunnychooks]

Sovia: I'm so sorry you've gone through this! I'm curious as to what breeds of chickens you have.

 

[sovia]

I originally had a flock of 16 hens and one Lakenvelder roo. The hens were comprised of 2 California Whites, 2 Ameraucana, 3 Black Australorps, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 Golden-laced Wyandotte, 1 Silver-laced Wyandotte, 1 Delaware, 1 Plymouth Rock, and 1 Dominique.

The California Whites were the first to go - just way too high strung and crazy about ripping feathers out. One of the Ameraucans soon followed. I have heard that feather picking can become a nasty habit and is hard to stop. I am sorry to say that I agree with that.

I tried to get calm, kid-friendly birds (with the exception of the California Whites) since I have young kids. I guess something just didn't work.

 

[sunnychooks]

I'm not familiar with the California Whites, but I've heard that feather picking can be a learned trait. Perhaps they "taught" the others the habit.
I hope you'll try again.

 

[lilarabookworm]

i dont really have any advice but i just wanted to say good luck and hope this problem solves itself

 

[FarmersChild]

My Dad wrote about cannibalism in his book on poultry production: it can be reduced by reducing crowding, feeding chickens whole oats, adding salt to their diet temporarily, or by debeaking them. Although debeaking looks bad, it actually solves the problem completely - and is routinely used in commercial poultry production. It requires removing about 1/2 of the UPPER BEAK ONLY. The chicken can still eat and function just fine (Dad did it for years and years with our chickens growing-up, and never had a problem). It will bleed, though, and so have some treatment for bleeding readily available when you do debeak them. Overall, though, know that this will prevent them from hurting each other - which they can do very readily with fully functional beaks.

 

[croftynanc]

Are those dimensions 'per chicken'? My chicken house is 5' x 8' (40 sq ft) and my pen is 25' x 50' (1250 sq ft), and I have 11 chickens.

 

[Smoochie]

Chickens are cannaballistic creatures. Overcrowding, boredom, bright lights, are just a few things that can bring it on. Pullets about to lay eggs and chicks feathering are common times cannibalism starts. You need to isolate anyone who has bloody wounds until they are completely healed. Switch to red lights, sprinkle high quality cat food on the ground for extra salt and protein. Slather emerging feathers with diaper rash cream like Destin, or Blue Kote until the feathers grow in. Let your chickens free range as much as possible.

 

[Choco Maran]

Yes the square footage is per chickens. But you should have enough room. They run is very big. The coop is only about 4 foot shorrt so you should be fine as all as you get no more chickens, or if you do build on to enlarge coop.