Chicken Pecking Question

[new2chickstx]

I just got 5 RIR layers from a friend of mine who is moving. A few of them are missing feathers/bald on the wings and back, above the tail. (These chickens came from a pen with close to 15 in it.) I noticed that one of the hens would peck at two of the others but it seemed to be only when they were trying to lay an egg. I know they were overcrowded in the pen that they came from but they are not overcrowded now. Will this behavior stop eventually? I currently have them in a run and trying to get the coop finshed in the next couple days so they will have more room and am hoping that once I get the nest boxes done that will help. The pen they came from was just a run and no coop or nest boxes. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

The stress of overcrowding certainly did not help. I'm sure they were bored as well. As soon as they are settled in their new home, it might just end the problem. I would keep an eye on them for awhile and see if the behavior has become a learned thing. With any luck they will mellow out with space, coop and nest boxes. If not, then there are things that can be done. There are several threads on feather picking and there are pretty much two main causes, diet and boredom. It's a bit early to know what is going on with your girls, having come from a not so great situation. Give them some time and see what happens, with any luck they will sort it out now that they have space.

 

[new2chickstx]

Thank you for the reply. They are so much different today, a lot calmer and I haven't seen any pecking at each other.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Hopefully that'll be the end of it, except for the normal "learn your place" kind of pecks. I'll bet they are so much happier now!