Chickens being violent towards one another? Please Help! :(

[benjaminkspence]

Hello all! I've been getting advice from this forum for quite a few months now, without actually being a member, and I have to say, you folks seem pretty hip when it comes to some backyard chicken raising! Hopefully someone can help me figure out what is going on with my pullets....

I had five chickens, raised from three days old, purchased from a local feed store. They all lived happily together, I have a 8x8' enclosed run, with multiple levels that they hang out on, a nice coop for them to go in at night, lots of food, water, etc.. They are currently about 5 months old. One is all white, and rather fat (her name is Sammy Davis, Jr. Jr.), another is mostly red and slightly smaller than Sammy(her name is Red, lol), the third is red/white (Goldilocks) and about the same size as Red. There is also an all black one, who is shorter, stockier, and complains loudly all the time, her name is Ches. WE HAD another all black one, but she turned out to be a HE, and he was crowing all the time, and actually attacking Goldilocks. Like grabbing her by the neck with his beak and shaking her around, blood everywhere; it was a mess. So we remedied that situation by making him into tacos a few week back. Yum.

So now we're down to four, and everything is much calmed in the coop. Except, the past few days, it seems like the chickens are turning their noses at the cracked corn that I feed to them along with our table scraps. They go crazy over leftovers, mostly, but won't eat their cracked corn. And this morning, when I go out to say hi, change their water, etc, it looks like one or more of them have been attacking Goldilocks!(The same hen the rooster was attacking).. Her neck is all bloody and she's dripping a little bit of blood... She began to eat a bunch of grass and weeds and other such greens that I tossed in the coop, and it didn't look like any of the other hens were attacking her while I stood out there, and to be honest, I've never seen any chicken other than that devil rooster attack any other.

Could they be attacking Goldilocks when I'm not looking? I've never heard her screaming like she was when the rooster was going at her neck.. And believe me, you could hear that down the street. Am I neglecting them in some way that I don't realize? Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Please don't be afraid to ask me questions, because while I tried to squeeze as much info regarding my girls into this missive, I'm sure I looked over something.

Please and thank you in advance,

Ben

(home farmer in training)

 

[CMV]

Hi Ben-

Are you just feeding cracked corn or are they eating chicken pellets? They don't actually need cracked corn and it should only be used in moderation because it will make your girls fat. Fat hens have future reproductive issues in store, so it is best not to let them get that way.

The wounded hen is going to need to have that wound tended and hidden. If the wound is too obvious to hide she will need to be separated until she heals. Clean it out well with soap and water/betadine tea/saline...whatever you have on hand. Once it is clean you will need to cover it with Blukote to hide it. Blukote can be purchased at your local feed store.

Could anything have gotten to her other than the chickens?

 

[NovaAman]

Please tell me you have started them on layer feed. They should be bout to lay if they haven't yet. They will need layer feed. Also, consider bringing a chair out and watch them for a while. Just be still and chill. Get some Bluekote and spray the injured chicken with it to keep the other girls from going at her. You may want to check over your run and coop real well to be sure this is not a predator issue. Was it when you let them out in the morning that you noticed these injuries? That seems kind of extreme for pecking order issues and you've got plenty of run room for four. If its a day time thing, you need to catch the ring leader, and maybe put some pinless peepers on her.

 

[benjaminkspence]

Thanks for answering! Firstly, I have never heard of layer feed, lol! The folks at the feed store said cracked corn and table scraps every day would be plenty of nutrition for my girls. Now I know to go get some diff. feed. And some Bluekote while I'm at it, apparently. I hope that helps.. I imagine I could find a way to separate her if it came to it, I'm just hoping the bluekote does the trick. Any suggestions on how to calm her while I scrub out the wound?
I don't think it's outside predators, the coop is completely enclosed, with the bottom bit attached to big rocks. It doesn't look like anything has dug under, and nothing could get in any other way.

Thanks again! I'll keep everyone posted on the goings-on, and let you know the situation as it develops.

What a blessing to have this forum!

Thanks!
Ben

 

[NovaAman]

We are glad you found this forum and joined too. Welcome to BYC!

 

[LizzieJ]

Hi, Layers mash (as its called in the uk) or Layers feed comes in either grain form or in pellet form, it contains essential neutrients for your ladies. also do they have grit or oyster shell available? they wont need this often but it helps them digest their food so make it available to them they will take it as and when they need it. maybe think about taking goldilocks out of the main run/coop for a while to see if it is an attack problem it will also give her a chance to recuperate from any injuries she has.
My girls took a while to establish a heirarchy and in the absence of your roo this may be whats happening, ive also noticed that chickens can often single out weaker members of the flock so keep and eye on her she may have issues you havent spotted yet.
I hope this is helpful
Good luck!
Liz x

 

[Jubilee1111]

Ben, I am a Jonathan Safran Foer fan, too. I just love Sammie Davis Jr. Jr.'s name

 

[CMV]

First word of advice- completely disregard any advice you get from the feed store employees. Any questions you have, post them here. We can answer them with a whole lot more accuracy.

Your birds are being violent towards each other because they are starving to death. You need to get chicken feed, but I would use grower feed not layer feed. Your birds are starving for protein. Grower formulas have a higher protein content than layer feed. If you have already gotten the feed then you should consider adding some whole sunflower seeds to their diet. That will increase their protein intake.

 

[benjaminkspence]

Holy hanna!! Okay, on my way to the store right now!

Thanks!

b

 

[benjaminkspence]

Wow, when I got home with the grower feed, they were laying there staring at me like I was a jerk, with a bunch of uneaten cracked corn sitting there. I gave them a bunch of grower and some sunflower seeds, and they started going crazy, eating like they were, well... starving.. poor things!
I hope this does the trick, thanks everyone for their help!