chicken is picking the other chicken neck

[flowergirl60]

I've been noticing a small bare spot on one of my girls neck. When I was out with them today I saw the other hen pecking her neck. The one that is getting pecked is just letting the other one do it. I tried to catch her to look at her neck but she won't let me.

 

[dsqard]

There are a few things that can cause feather picking. Low protien in the diet, not enough space, boredom or sometimes you just have a "bad girl" on your hands. You need to try to figure out which of these is the cause before they are all doing it.

 

[flowergirl60]

Quote:
The victim is high on the pecking order. They free range almost all day. And everymorning they get treat like eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, BOSS. IDK? It's crazy b/c she's usually the bully.

 

[momtotnt]

Curious to know though.... what's the solution to boredom?

 

[dsqard]

I know people will hang a cabbage in the run to help keep boredom at bay or use a flock block. It sounds like your problem might just be a "bad girl". You could try separating her for a few days and see if that stops the behavior. If that doesn't work, you can try pinless peepers. If you google it you will find out what they are.

 

[happychickengirls]

I feel for you. I have been having the same problem also. One of my chicks is getting pecked right in the face. She
has holes all around her face. We just finished screening in their whole run which is 36 feet long and 15 feet across.
You would think they would be happy since they have all this room now when ever they want basically.
Even though I go out every morning and some dinner times and give them my scraps and treats and scratch they are bored.
They have become SPOILED little chickens with attitudes I tell you. I honestly believe they are just peeved because they
want to be out in my yard. Since I have give them that big run I dont want them in my yard anymore. I am planting my gardens
and want my grass to continue to grow and just dont want the poo around anymore. They have been fine all winter and it
was a hard winter here too!!!! I think sometimes they are like teenagers- but thats just me.

 

[flowergirl60]

Quote:
I agree with you happychickengirls. Mine are spoiled also. They have plenty of room in their run but they want to be in the yard (my fault) b/c in the afternoon it gets too warm in the back where the run is (some shade) but not much breeze so I let them out under the big oak trees. Untill I can get that fan mister thingy I'll continue to spoil them. I didn't notice anymore pecking last night tho.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Strange, but I am also seeing a pecking on one of the hens. I have 5 SS, 4 of them have larger combs and they pickon the one with the smallest comb. She isn't the smallest in size however.

I took them out of their pen and put them in my "play area" indoors and gave scratch and hay to play with. That's when I saw the pecking. The one being picked on seems to look for food but doesn't "eat" anything. Is this just because they are intimidating her?

I've separated her out today to be on her own in the main pen to see if she seems more "happy".

Anyone else with this problem? What fixed it??

 

[cubalaya]

spray some blu-kote on the pecked hens neck. this will help it heal and should keep the other hen from pecking.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Mine doesn't have any "injury" that I can see. Still blu- kote anyway?