Chickens pecking!!

[Travchix]

Hello is there any easy ways to stop my girls from pecking? I don't have a rooster. My Americana is getting it pretty bad! Anything I can do? Thanks!!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Pecking can sometimes occur with boredom and/or insufficient space.

How much coop and run room do they have? Do they free range at all?

 

[Alaskan]

It is hard to increase space at short notice....

But first, did you check to see if she has any flees or mites? Parasites might cause her to get itchy and pull out her own feathers.
If it isn't flees or mites or so,etching like that, then it probably is that there isn't enough space.

Next step is to give them stuff to do. Toss in a giant pile of something for them to dig through. A mountain of grass clippings, weeds, or a hay bale.

And then think over how you could increase their space or reduce your number of chickens.

Also, more perches might let the one that is being picked on perch away from the bullies.

I didn't type that in very clearly... Ah well, I hope it is helpful anyway.

 

[Travchix]

Thanks, I have 15 girls my coupe is 7ft by 12ft my Run is 23x10 ft they some times free range I just have issues with a couple goin in the road. I'm 3/4 the way through making a chicken tractor. What are some good things they can have in there run to keep them busy?? Thanks again

 

[Alaskan]

That space sounds good...

Do you have enough perch space?

The other time I see my hens pick at each other is at the nest boxes. One will be sitting in a nest box that a different hen wants to use, so the sitting hen gets picked on. So, even if you have enough nest boxes, do you have only one favorite nest box? Maybe putting in a few different nest boxes would help too.

As to stuff in the run to entertain the hens....

You can ask for a giant crate of slightly spoiled produce from your grocery store. They will usually give it away for free.

Grass clippings are awesome, as are weeds, left overs from your table, branches for them to play on, an ash pile to dust in, a bale of straw or hay, part of your compost pile.

 

[Travchix]

Ok thanks so much I have 4 boxes right now and the seem to lay in all of them, I just added 1 more perch in my house and I didn't have any in the run so I put 3 in the run. Also put some wood ash and couple shovels of black Dirt . I'm going to buy a straw bail today. Do u leave the bail connected? Also have you heard of using alf Alfa?

 

[Travchix]

I'm also going to be making my coupe bigger on Thursday I hope this helps!

 

[Alaskan]

I would take the bail and open it up, and then toss it out over the run in "flakes". Usually with a bale of any kind of hay or straw, once you take off the string or wire that holds it together it tends to fall apart in thick flakes. I would keep it in the flakes since the chickens will have so much fun scratching the flakes apart. Also, the flakes might keep enough moisture under them that in a day or two, if the chickens didn't manage to scratch them to pieces, there will be lots of worms and slugs and bugs hiding in them.

They would love Alfafa. That would have seeds in it for them to eat too.

I forgot to mention that the wood ash not only makes a fun dust bath, but it also helps reduce any parasites on the chickens. So healthier and happier! . Of course, you don't want to give them ash from toxic substances, but that is sorta a given.

Also, have you thought of putting in a small wood plank that you turn over every few days? When I do that ey almost always seem t have slugs and earthworms under them.

I also give them table scraps, even things like the rice that I just burned.

 

[Travchix]

ok, thanks, im going to see if i can get a bail of straw or alf alfa. i will throw that in therer and see if that works. thanks for all the help im new at this but i want my brids to be happy. i will keep you posted on how it works thanks again.