chickens pecking eathother

[chickenman486]

I have a flock of about 40 chickens and they have been pecking eachother for awhile and I have been trying to stop it. I have been using vicks vapor rub. And it hasn't seemed to be working. Is there a way to Stop this pecking if so what do I use? and it cant be expensive. thx

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pick no more is a great product as is Blu Kote. It wont permanently cure a chicken driven to pick. The trick will be figuring out WHY they are picking. Are they bored? Is the feed right? Are they crowded? Is a light left on all the time?

Those are some of the common reasons chickens start the picking. I am sure there are more though.

 

[junebuggena]

How big is their coop and how big is their run. Exact dimensions please.

 

[chickenman486]

their coop is 16 x 4 with 21 chickens in it. then there is a coop on the other side of the pen that is 8 x 4. The pen is 30 x 24.

 

[junebuggena]

Coops are too small. One coop, large enough for all usually works better than two coops that are both too small. Chickens, being flock animals, tend to all pile into a single coop and ignore the other. Either build a coop that will provide your birds at least 4 sq ft each, or reduce the flock size to about 16 birds. That's how many should be in the larger of the two coops. Whatever you do, do it fast. Once overcrowding stress behaviors begin, they can be very difficult to stop.

 

[chickenman486]

they have been doing it for a long time.

 

[junebuggena]

And now you know why.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Coops are too small. One coop, large enough for all usually works better than two coops that are both too small. Chickens, being flock animals, tend to all pile into a single coop and ignore the other. Either build a coop that will provide your birds at least 4 sq ft each, or reduce the flock size to about 16 birds. That's how many should be in the larger of the two coops. Whatever you do, do it fast. Once overcrowding stress behaviors begin, they can be very difficult to stop.

I agree 100%.

I would add that if you have a high strung breed like Hamburgs you will want far more space per bird. Mine would go batty if they were restricted under 8 sq foot per bird in the coop and 15 sq foot in the run. Yes my hamburgs would pull feathers out of other birds. Not a breed I will have again unless I can free range which is unlikely given the cost of land.

 

[junebuggena]

I agree 100%.

I would add that if you have a high strung breed like Hamburgs you will want far more space per bird. Mine would go batty if they were restricted under 8 sq foot per bird in the coop and 15 sq foot in the run. Yes my hamburgs would pull feathers out of other birds. Not a breed I will have again unless I can free range which is unlikely given the cost of land.

Same for my Barred Rocks. They need their space. I absolutely adore them though.

 

[chickenman486]

I'm going to expand the pen and th coop