Chicken Eating Chicken

[shelby528]

Today to my dismay as I came home from work...I found one of my birds being pecked at! Almost his entire leg is an open wound! His wing is badly injured also. Im wondering if it is because they are missing something in their diet? Any suggestions!!??! I moved my injured guy out of the pen and placed him in isolation...I am not sure which one initially hurt him but I am concerned for my other chickens.

Buffcochin, 12 weeks.

 

[Emzyyy]

Im not sure what they would be missing. No expert here. Someone else could help you much more than I can. I would put some Neosporien on his wounds and keep him separated for the time being.

 

[littlepatchofheaven]

Hi, mine did this also except they picked at his butt until he died then ate his guts out! it was so disgusting, i don't know why they do it either but i caught the one that was picking butts and butchered him.

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

Good question , i would also like to know the answer to this question.

I had one just like yours the other day they picked and killed an ate a good portion of her ,totally grossed me out !

 

[boaz]

You will find different ideas on this subject, I believe it is usually a crowding issue. We occasionally have a chick injured in the first couple of weeks in the cage. We let our chicks run with the flock at a few weeks old and never have this issue at that point. If you have the space, enlarge the territory or let them run outside.

 

[pixie74943]

When I was researching to see if bacon rinds are okay for my chickies (apparently they are, everything in moderation though) it said they were a good source of salt, and that Chickens need salt in their diet or they turn to cannabalism

First time I'd heard it. But Chickens are meat eaters as well as vegie eaters, so maybe a little salty bacon rind could help