Chickens Being Attacked, HELP!

[EllaGrace1]

Our chickens, not even a year old, have started attacking each other. They have plenty of space in the coop, run, and they have free-range time. It started a couple days ago when one of our chicken’s comb looked like it got injured. We saw 3/4 go after her, thought it was a bully situation, so we separated the instigator. However, when we separated the victim, they went back to being peaceful chickens. We think they’re attacking her because of the blood scabs on her comb, so she’s separated at the moment. However, when letting them back into the run, the top chicken attacked, ripped, and ate part of the lowest chickens comb. It’s now bleeding but in order to keep them from attacking her we had to let them free-range again. They’re leaving her alone, so maybe it isn’t a blood thing? We don’t know what to do to keep the peace and keep them from attacking each other. Please help!!

 

[WingItRanch]

It's definitely a blood thing. If a chicken is injured, the red of the blood will attract them to attack more. Even if a chicken is showing signs of illness, the flock may attack. Some people suggest using Blu-Kote so the blood isn't attracting. I've never used it, personally.

I would separate any injured and bleeding chicken immediately until it can heal.

 

[WingItRanch]

Is the top chicken always the first to attack? If so, I'd recommend pulling her out and keeping her alone for about a week. When you return her to the flock, she'll most likely have lost her standing as top hen and that will hopefully correct the aggression. If not, you may have to rehome her with a warning to her new owners.

 

[EllaGrace1]

It's definitely a blood thing. If a chicken is injured, the red of the blood will attract them to attack more. Even if a chicken is showing signs of illness, the flock may attack. Some people suggest using Blu-Kote so the blood isn't attracting. I've never used it, personally.

I would separate any injured and bleeding chicken immediately until it can heal.

The one who just started bleeding is being left alone as of right now. It’s the one with black blood scabs that keeps getting attacked. She hasn’t shown any signs of illness, just her comb keeps getting attacked.

 

[aart]

They have plenty of space in the coop, run

What does this mean in feet by feet?
..and how many chickens?
All the same age raised together?

 

[EllaGrace1]

Is the top chicken always the first to attack? If so, I'd recommend pulling her out and keeping her alone for about a week. When you return her to the flock, she'll most likely have lost her standing as top hen and that will hopefully correct the aggression. If not, you may have to rehome her with a warning to her new owners.

It was the 4th one who we think started it but it could’ve been the top one. However, we watched 4 attack, then 1 attack, then 5. So we’re not too sure. Right now we have the one getting attacked separate but we don’t know what to do about the coop. We haven’t set up an alternative. Also, we’re about to go out of town for the weekend and don’t want to leave any of them by themselves.

 

[EllaGrace1]

What does this mean in feet by feet?
..and how many chickens?
All the same age raised together?

5 Rhode Island Reds. Coop is 5ftx5ft, run is 10ftx40ft, then free-range. The one that keeps getting attacked is in a 10ftx20ft right now. They’re all about 10 months old and have been raised together the entire time. Besides pecking order, we haven’t had any issues. We had a rooster but had to get rid of him about 2 months ago because of city limitations.

 

[WingItRanch]

Maybe you can stick the 2 that were bullied together so they're not alone but also are safe from further attacks while you're on vacation? Just a thought.

@aart will provide good advice, I'm sure. They are much more experienced than I am.

 

[EllaGrace1]

Maybe you can stick the 2 that were bullied together so they're not alone but also are safe from further attacks while you're on vacation? Just a thought.

@aart will provide good advice, I'm sure. They are much more experienced than I am.

The only place we could move them to is a big dog crate in a porch. But we don’t want them in that small of a space for the weekend. We have separate pens to put them in, however we recently had a possum somehow make its way in there. We don’t know what else can get in and don’t want them getting injured when out of the secure coop. The bottom hen, one of the injured, has attacked the other one too. However, we think it was only because the other 2 were doing it.