Chickens picking feathers

[WinnerChickenDinner]

My 2017 youngsters are eating each other up, ive seperated as much as i could but now ive no more room to put them in their individual rooms. I did a little research and found rooster boosters pick no more as a possible solution. I noticed that in the ingredients is tea tree oil. I was wondering if i could just use tea tree oil in the place of "pick no more" as i already have a bottle of tea tree oil. Rather than going out to buy a bottle of pick no more. What are your experiences? Please share. Thank you

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old are they? How big of an area are they in?

 

[WinnerChickenDinner]

How old are they? How big of an area are they in?

I have ages 5 months and 3 months. For the 5 month olds, I mostly keep around 2 in each pen that is 4x4x4. And for the 3 month olds i keep about 3 in each pen.

But about the question about tea tree oil, have u tried it before?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No I haven't. I have found they need more room and to keep busy when younger of else they will start pecking each other, so getting them out on some range would help as well as keeping more in a group.

Hopefully someone more familiar with tea tree oil will comment.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I'd avoid it, not a solution.
I agree about having more space, and more things to do. Also, what breeds, and what are you feeding? Mary

 

[21hens-incharge]

I strongly agree with oldhenlikesdogs.

I find the farther away they can get from each other the better they get along. If you merge all your 4x4 pens then where point A is compared to point B is dramatically different.
So say instead of a 4x4 you had a 4x8 then two birds could be twice as far apart. Now then if you did that again making a 4x16 then the same two birds could be 16 feet apart if they chose. Right now they can only get 4 feet apart. Not enough to give way when being attacked.(not enough escape room)

BUT if you pastured them they could get so very much farther away AND have much more to do then fight.

Even a chicken tractor moved daily to new ground would give them more distractions.

 

[WinnerChickenDinner]

I agree with the free range. I would love to do that but im very limited in space as i raise at a friends place and can only get so much . I can only afford to fit in 4x4 pens where he has free space. Very sad.

I raise orientals, they are a lot more meaner than other breeds.