Chickens killed their brother!

[Ekagj]

We found one of our roosters yesterday in a lot of pain because the chickens started eating his butt hole! As soon as we saw this we did what had to be done. Now I'm just trying to figure why they did this?? We have a huge yard for them two coops thy are all fat and happy. Anyone have any ideas? When they were younger they ate each other's tail feathers but we upped their protein and it for the most part stopped (some still are picking feathers out).

Any ideas why or how to stop this?? I don't want it to happen to any of my other chickens!!

 

[realsis]

wow that's awful. I've read that it can be due to a lack of protein or can be a nasty habit or out of shear boredom. i suggest hanging a whole cabbage in there run or house and they will stay busy pecking on the cabbage. that's gonna keep them busy from pecking on one another
hope this is helpful
so sorry for your loss!

 

[realsis]

in my chicken health book some causes for cannibalism are what i said above and heat without ventilation; nests not dark enough; bright lights; crowding; feed and water troughs too close together; feed to high in calories to low in fiber; parasites; and injury and bleeding. hope this helps

 

[Ekagj]

thanks! i've gone through everything you've listed and i'm thinking it's the protein, boredom or a bad habit. I will forsure try the cabbage idea! and i will be upping the protein some more!

when their tail feathers get plucked out they do start to bleed some, we've been putting band-aids around their little bald tails and they leave it alone. do you have any other ideas??

 

[realsis]

yep i sure do. its a product called rooster booster Peck no More I've personally used it and not only does it treat wounds with natural tea tree oil its so nasty once they peck that's it they Peck ONCE ! i couldn't believe how good this nasty purple lotion worked but it did! in fact i stopped using it and the pecking still stopped! its so nasty it teaches um a lesson! they stopped that pecking for good after i rubbed it all over my girls area that was being pecked! give it a shot it works like a charm and its only bout 8 bucks.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Have you watched to see if there are any specific birds that are the instigator or is it all of them? If it's only one or two I'd pull them out and get rid of them. Once a flock gets into the pecking habit it can be very, very hard to stop it. Try the Peck No More, keep them in as much space as possible, free range if possible so there is plenty of distraction. You can toss some flakes of alfalfa hay in the coops for entertainment as well as protein.

Are they being fed a good commercial feed?

 

[Ekagj]

yep i sure do. its a product called rooster booster Peck no More I've personally used it and not only does it treat wounds with natural tea tree oil its so nasty once they peck that's it they Peck ONCE ! i couldn't believe how good this nasty purple lotion worked but it did! in fact i stopped using it and the pecking still stopped! its so nasty it teaches um a lesson! they stopped that pecking for good after i rubbed it all over my girls area that was being pecked! give it a shot it works like a charm and its only bout 8 bucks.

awesome thanks! I'll defiantly give it a try!

 

[Ekagj]

Have you watched to see if there are any specific birds that are the instigator or is it all of them? If it's only one or two I'd pull them out and get rid of them. Once a flock gets into the pecking habit it can be very, very hard to stop it. Try the Peck No More, keep them in as much space as possible, free range if possible so there is plenty of distraction. You can toss some flakes of alfalfa hay in the coops for entertainment as well as protein.

Are they being fed a good commercial feed?

I personally haven't seen it done. I've been keeping an eye out and so has my parents and we still don't know who the culprit is. I think i know which one it is and he will be dinner soon.

yes they are on a laying mash and some (not a lot) of scratch feed