Chicken Pecking Order that has gotten out of hand...

[Amina]

For what it's worth, I think they will need complete 24/7 separation for this to work very well, but I could be wrong.

 

[Tutu of 5]

OK...mahalo again folks. I moved our "jailbird" to the lanai, she has shade and nice breezes. So the rest of the girls decided they liked the lanai and followed her. LOL My retired husband now has a full time job...shooing the "good hens" off of the lanai. LOL

Anyway, we are trying. It's coming up on 6 days of "time-out" and she is still trying to peck the other girls through the cage. Such a meanie.

We'll see how she does completely away from the others.

 

[Amina]

Maybe you can hang curtains or something to block their view of her?

 

[Tutu of 5]

Thanks Armina. We do have a plywood board blocking the view she has into the yard, so she can't see the rest of the flock down below and they can't see her.

Whenever I tend to the girls, or the dog or the yard and they she hears me, she starts whining....so they do hear her, but can't see her anymore.

I'll post in a few days, when I release her and see how she's treating the other girls. I am going to order some of those Pinless Peepers, in case I need to try something else

Mahalo!

 

[Tutu of 5]

OK...Bossy got out of jail today and I have noticed a few things.

1) She immediatly took off after "Baby", the hen she had been terrorizing previously. But, instead of lowering her head and trying to "disappear", Baby stood her ground and flapped her wings at Bossy and Bossy backed off....HOORAY.

However, I was just outside and Baby was dust bathing and I saw Bossy pluck a feather off of Baby and eat it....she ate one of my other EE's feathers earlier today too. Is this normal, or is this bordering cannibalism?

My little PR hen "Braveheart" who got pecked in the foot by Bossy, while on the perch at night, had a bleeding episode in the same spot today too. Coincidence or do you think Bossy went after the same foot as before?

I still need to buy those pinless peepers.

I am thinking about re-caging Bossy tonight, in the coop, when the girls go to bed, to prevent interaction with her on the perch with the rest of the flock.

Advice?

 

[keesmom]

Glad to hear Baby stood up for herself this time! As for the feather picking, sometimes it can happen as a result of a diet too low in protein. The others are not doing this so I am not sure if it's a factor in your case. What are you feeding them? It can also result from boredom, but yours get to range so that's not the issue.

 

[TalkALittle]

I saw Bossy pluck a feather off of Baby and eat it....she ate one of my other EE's feathers earlier today too. Is this normal, or is this bordering cannibalism?

What is the protein level of their feed? If you are feeding them layer feed, it's probably 16%. If they get a lot of scratch or scraps or other treats their overall protein intake could be low. Protein deficiency can lead to feather picking and eating. Look for a feed with a bit higher protein. I feed Purina Flockraiser. It's a 20% protein feed. It doesn't have calcium added though, so make sure you are offering plenty of oyster shell on the side. If you don't want to switch feeds, add a protein source like mealworms to their diet and see if the picking subsides.

In the meantime, re-caging her at night is probably a good idea.

 

[Chris09]

Also the lack of Animal Proteins in there diet can lead to feather pecking and eating.

 

[JensChickies]

OK...Bossy got out of jail today and I have noticed a few things.


1)  She immediatly took off after "Baby", the hen she had been terrorizing previously. But, instead of lowering her head and trying to "disappear", Baby stood her ground and flapped her wings at Bossy and Bossy backed off....HOORAY.

However, I was just outside and Baby was dust bathing and I saw Bossy pluck a feather off of Baby and eat it....she ate one of my other EE's feathers earlier today too.  Is this normal, or is this bordering cannibalism?

My little PR hen "Braveheart" who got pecked in the foot by Bossy, while on the perch at night, had a bleeding episode in the same spot today too.  Coincidence or do you think Bossy went after the same foot as before?

I still need to buy those pinless peepers.


I am thinking about re-caging Bossy tonight, in the coop, when the girls go to bed, to prevent interaction with her on the perch with the rest of the flock.


Advice?

Sometimes there are just mean hens. I, myself, have one. Lol.

 

[TalkALittle]

Also the lack of Animal Proteins in there diet can lead to feather pecking and eating.

Well, I'm certainly no nutritionist, but do I know that all protein is not equal--mainly that animal protein is a more complete source of the essential amino acids and that animal proteins are more readily and rapidly used by the human body than plant proteins. (At least that's what I understand to be the case.) Does the same go for chickens?

Also, is it then a more accurate description to say that "a diet lacking certain amino acids" vs. "a diet low in protein" leads to feather pecking?