Chickens pecked large sore on another

[dobimomof4]

My 16 year old daughter took 3 of her Cinnamon queens(sexlinks) to show in the fair. After being there 2 days, 2 of them had pecked a large sore on the back of one of them. We picked them up and brought them home. Separated the injured one from the others and left the leg bands on the 2 that did the pecking.to keep an eye on them! Have been keeping a close eye on the trouble makers. My question is "Is this a deficiency or do you think they were upset by the move and close quarters?" We have 24 in a coop and pen and have had no pecking up til now. We have been putting vetRX on the injured ones sore and it is healing. We have only been raising chickens since April so we are very new and unsure of what to do.

They had been on turkey starter(this is what we were told to use for raising to show at the fair for a 4H project) until earlier this month when they started laying and are now on Country Acres poultry breeder for laying chickens 20%. I have read feather picking could be a protein deficiency. Should I get some higher protein food?
Thanks to all who post on here I learn alot and enjoy the time I spend doing it. We really enjoy the chickens and plan to continue on with them.
Thanks for all your help
DC

 

[Den in Penn]

My best guess as to why it started is boredom, while at the fair. You have been giving them plenty of protein, most layer feeds have 16 to 18 percent. If she isn't bleeding try putting her with the others to see if the pecking continues. Be ready to remove her if it does. If it does put her in a cage in the coop or divide part of the coop for her so she is still part of the flock while she heals. If its only the two that were with her, separate those two completely out of the coop to reset the pecking order.

 

[dobimomof4]

Thank you! She has a large open soreso we have separated her right now until she is healed. Watching the others closely no more pecking. It is sad what they can do to each other! I really appreciate all the help from people on these forums.
Thanks Again
DC

 

[dobimomof4]

Well just went to check on them after work and 2 had broken and missing feathers. Sooo my brother is coming to get the ones i promised him after we showed at the fair. Hopefully dropping the number to what we should have in the coop will help stop this behavior

thanks again for your help