Chicken Aggression

[riversanctuary]

Help my 4 chickens have started to turn on one pecking her so bad on her comb which was bloody. I put some antiseptic on it and kept her separate thinking it will pass just a pecking order thing, but it is persisting my Americana starts it then the others join in. I think they will kill her if I don't keep her separate. They all use to get along until now. What do I do? This happened one time before to this chicken, but it wasn't as serious and didn't last. Would appreciate any advice anyone can give me.

 

[Stiggy]

try giving them lots of space and things to do/ play/ hide in and around. also keep them separated until she heals completely ( chickens know one is injured and can smell the blood) and they will keep attacking her until they kill her ( and it wont be pretty) . if you have charcoal wound powder available I would suggest putting that on the injury.. in the mean time feed them high protein stuff like meats ( mince works well and isn't to expensive) and cheeses which boost their calcium and protein intake. (often because people feed their hens only pellets and veggies they don't get enough meat/bugs etc which is essentialbecause they are omnivors not 'vegetarians' like some people think) I would suggest yogurt but that tends to be messy and can clog their sinuses.

 

[riversanctuary]

What's mince? I luckily have another coop next to the one they go in. I put a rabbit hutch inside the coop where Lacy is, the injured one, hoping she will go in to roost. I have blue spray that I already sprayed her with. Can kitty kibble be good to give them for the protein?

 

[Stiggy]

it can be if by kitty kibble you mean the dry biscuit food ( you would have to soak it as they would otherwise find it hard to digest/ swallow) mince is a mean usually beef, although you can get pet mince ( mince is basically the leftover pieces of meat, and the off cuts from the best pieces that is ground up together

 

[riversanctuary]

I tried putting Lacy with the one who is low in the pecking order, Annie. I now know that she was the one who started this fight because she attacked Annie without warning. I grabbed Lacy before she could attack again putting her back in her coop. It looks like she is the one who got everyone upset attacking. I am so glad I have an extra coop it's sad that she will have to be by herself for awhile before I try it again. At least she can see and interact with the others without any deadly contact. Her comb still looks pretty bad, but I'm sure it will heal. The others are on guard when she is near by. I now have to make a roost inside the coop for her to sleep in. I don't know what got into her. I sure hope this passes and I can eventually let them free range together. I don't think I will ever take a chance on letting her sleep with the other girls unless there is a significant change. Does anyone have any experience or advice on trying to put them together to free range and see if Annie who is the highest on the pecking order will discipline her? It happened in the confinement of the coop so I think that's why it got so bad because they all got involved. Lucy also got a bloody spot on her comb, but not as bad as Lacy. Lacy also chipped her beak, but not too bad.