chicken's vents are bleeding

[Yardmom]

I'm sorry that your flock is not doing well. Any changes since Sunday? With so many birds having this happen at once I would suspect something is attacking them. (This looks like more than perocite blood) Either rodent bites or attacking each other. I would get a good feed with 20 percent protein in case they are picking at each other due to insufficient nutrients.

 

[chickenGIGIlady]

Vent pecking can lead to vent damage and reproductive problems including egg bound and prolapses, but more importantly if not stopped, death. Boredom from not getting outside to roam, overcrowding in the coop and run, not enough protein or an unbalanced feed, too much light or heat in a coop, and more aggressive breeds. It also becomes a learned behavior and a habit if not stopped. Some use pinless peppers on a bully to stop picking. You can find them online with the tool used to apply them. There are videos as well. Many people use an all flock feed that is 20% protein. And a brand name feed might be a little better quality.

I do use name brand feed and it is for laying hens and it is 16% protein. I don't believe it started as a pecking problem they have never done this before. their coop is huge they have toys and stuff to do.

 

[TOMTE]

I do use name brand feed and it is for laying hens and it is 16% protein. I don't believe it started as a pecking problem they have never done this before. their coop is huge they have toys and stuff to do.

Maybe try switching to an 18% or 20% protein feed (like Kalmbach flock maker), and then supplement oyster shells in a separate dish for calcium. The pecking could have started for any number of reasons and sometimes the reason is that they need more protein in their diet.

Once the pecking has started it can be very hard to stop. A lot of times chickens that get a taste for blood keep wanting more. When they see red they go at it like crazy.

Can you clean them up and separate the ones that are bleeding? Give them time to heal, and then you can better assess what's going on? Might be easier to get better pics that way too.

 

[tripletfeb]

I had this happen to my last flock. One day they were fine and the next day, two had bleeding vents. And I saw the bullies working on two more. I separated the two that were bleeding and treated them for their wounds. Soaked them in a bath and applied neosporin. If it's the vent itself that is bleeding(like mine) then you must keep the vent moist or urates will leak out and block the vent, preventing them from being able to poop. That alone can kill them. I found out who was doing the pecking and culled them. They would not stop and were going after the other hens. If I were you, I would treat everyone that is wounded and get rid of the bullies, they would be the ones who are not bleeding. Or try Pinless Peepers, I've used those before with success(after I culled the two)

 

[chickenGIGIlady]

thank you there are 4 out of 12 that aren't bleeding guess they are the bullies. I have no where to seperate 8 chickens wouldn't they just still peck each other?

 

[TOMTE]

thank you there are 4 out of 12 that aren't bleeding guess they are the bullies. I have no where to seperate 8 chickens wouldn't they just still peck each other?

If you can find dog crates for cheap (or if you have any laying around) you can use those. But 8 separate crates for 8 chickens is a lot. Maybe someone else will have an idea on how to keep them separate?

 

[chickenGIGIlady]

If you can find dog crates for cheap (or if you have any laying around) you can use those. But 8 separate crates for 8 chickens is a lot. Maybe someone else will have an idea on how to keep them separate?

so there is no other solution like they won't get better without separating them? even if I spray that stuff on them?

 

[chickenGIGIlady]

so there is no other solution like they won't get better without separating them? even if I spray that stuff on them?

like the stuff that makes their feathers taste bad

 

[TOMTE]

so there is no other solution like they won't get better without separating them? even if I spray that stuff on them?

I doubt the pecking will stop without separation at this point. Maybe blu-kote will help a bit... It depends on how much blood there is, how bad the wounds are, and how serious your birds have become about the pecking. Plus if the wounds are bad enough, you won't want to apply blu-kote, because it will be harder for you to tell how it's healing. But that's mainly an issue with deep bite wounds and gashes.

It's hard to say without knowing the cause in the first place. You did mention that it looked like the vent on one chicken was open, like there was an egg or something in there right? I don't remember, is anybody laying? Could someone be egg bound? Sometimes chickens that are egg bound will peck at their own vents. If that happens, and they draw blood, that's basically an invitation for all the others to peck at it. And then maybe that started a habit of vent pecking.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can try the BluKote. I have had good luck with it for feather loss or minor wounds. Spend some time with them. Watch to see who is being aggressive. I prefer Purina, Nuteena, or Kalmbach feeds.