Colorado

[Ashdoes]

Geeze louise... I now have a buff orp with a bloody hole at the base of her spine next to her tail... What the heck is up w/these birds! I've been feeding them w/26% protein game bird feed! molting, no eggs, egg eaters, and now cannibalism... I wonder if I'm cut out for chicken ownership.

This is that weird part of chicken keeping, that makes all of us wonder what the hell we're thinking keeping these things around. Are there certain birds your having more issues with? Like a particular breed? Crazy stuff you're dealing with right now.

 

[Latestarter]

The first issue was with a black Australorp... she lost 1/2 her tail bulb... one side completely eaten off... I caught it when they started and took her out for a while to help it heal, coated with blukote and they went right back to it. She's now inside in a container. This time I put EMT collagen ointment on it to hopefully completely heal it over. Then today I found the buff orp. Totally separate enclosure... She has an actual hole through her hide down into the meat to bone right beside her tail root... <throwing hands up - shaking head>

Just wondering what comes next?

 

[COChix]

Geeze louise... I now have a buff orp with a bloody hole at the base of her spine next to her tail... What the heck is up w/these birds! I've been feeding them w/26% protein game bird feed! molting, no eggs, egg eaters, and now cannibalism... I wonder if I'm cut out for chicken ownership.

sorry to hear about your issues. Does everyone have enough space? Not sure what to suggest, all I know is once cannablism starts it is hard to stop. Keep us posted and do you have any idea who the culprits are?

We are going through feather eating, we had our white EE start around molting season and she has continued through three molt meatloaves, 20% protein feed and then to Feringhers feed. I have since witnessed another hen doing the same thing and the Roo, who was pulling feather off and calling the pullets over to eat. I think it all started back when we had the 8 roo's and molting and now it appears to be behavioral. Certain birds have been targeted (mainly the EE and roo). Since we were going to process the roo and white EE we put them and the other feather eater in the run and small coop, until we can process them. I did t want the behavior spreading and we are still in harvest mode. We will also be moving the flock to Englewood in the next couple weeks, this is why we are not keeping our roo. I have been trying to feed some boss, and sprouted lentils as well.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I wonder what else is in feathers that they may be lacking. Dang hard to break for sure. I had an Aussie that had been plucked relentlessly and separated her for an entire summer til she had completely feathered back in. The EE beards are always something the others that are feather eaters seem to go for.

Darned infuriating since they are well fed for sure.

This molt my flock has not started the nasty business. I did note that it was during first molt that I had an issue with mine.

Could part of it be from being bored? I know that since I started hanging apples in the coop and adding other bordom busters none of mine have repeated the feather eating.

LS, If you are feeding a 26% feed all I can think is they are getting what they need from the feed in a short eating time so may be bored. Personally I think 26 is a bit high. I have gone as high as 20% trying to break the habit but am now using an 18% feed. The 20% feed did nothing to curb the behaviour.
I am sure you have plenty of grit and oyster shell for them. I just don't get why they are going in and doing serious damage.

Maybe they are all related to Hannibal.

 

[trochefarm]

The first issue was with a black Australorp... she lost 1/2 her tail bulb... one side completely eaten off... I caught it when they started and took her out for a while to help it heal, coated with blukote and they went right back to it. She's now inside in a container. This time I put EMT collagen ointment on it to hopefully completely heal it over. Then today I found the buff orp. Totally separate enclosure... She has an actual hole through her hide down into the meat to bone right beside her tail root... <throwing hands up - shaking head>

Just wondering what comes next?

I haven't been on the BYC forum in a very LONG time, and have not read the more than 2500 missed posts, but I really wanted to address this. Hopefully I haven't repeated someone else's advice.
Latestarter, I don't know how many chickens you have and how big your setup is. One thing I have found, and not many seem to address, is that if you have too many chickens in a space that is too small, they will decide who needs to "go". I have noticed that even though I have provided a bit more than the minimum space according to all the books and advice, the girls may still not feel they have enough space, or a select one or two are invading their space.
While I lived in Parker, it was always easier to separate them into smaller pens. Once I moved out here to my 40 acres, I built a huge run and huge "hen house" area. I was nervous about putting all of these birds....from four different pens in all ranges of age... back together. The only trouble I had was with my new rooster. He terrorized all but the very few girls he was most attached to. He became dinner.
The only other minor incident was my Cuckoo Marans was molting pretty badly, and some of the hens from other pens were pecking at her bare spots. We saturated the area with blukote and had no more problems. They all get along great in the new area.
The reason I'm so positive about the space thing is because I've seen this in so many setups. Many setups I visit have chickens missing many of their feathers and have bare spots from pecking. Most of these are in very confined spaces. Chickens get bored, and they're a bit territorial. If the additional protein isn't changing the behavior, than it's likely something like that.
Sorry for the novel.

 

[COChix]

I don't believe our feather eating is due to space constraints, we have 13 birds, two coops, a large 10x20 enclosed run and probably another 100 X 60 pens where they free range during the day. It might have originally started due to stress, we had 8 cockerel's from our hatch that we ultimately processed. Once that dynamic changed the one girl that started the feather eating cotinued through all the various changes we went through.

LS - how is your space set up and how many birds in each enclosure?

 

[Latestarter]

The birds have plenty of room... they've been together (each breed) since I first got them in 4 separate pens by breed. They're now ~17 mos old. In the coop they have ~ 5-6 sq ft per bird. There's >20 sq ft/bird in the runs. I don't free range them. I'm aware of space requirements. They have free access to grit as well as oyster shell. I feed them FF every morning, enough to last them all day. It was ranging 14-16% protein, but I upped it when the molt started. I have given them added protein in the form of canned mackerel every so often as well. Haven't done hanging apples or cabbage or anything and maybe I'll give that a go. I have plenty of old CD's so may hang a few of them as well.

The major egg eating started maybe a month or two ago. The cannibalism issue only just started... They don't seem to be feather picking or feather eating. Any time I see any injuries or scrapes, blood on bare skin, it immediately gets a nice dark coat of blukote. Normally that alleviates any issues. I have no idea what started the latest 2 issues. Most injuries I've seen are as a result of over breeding by the roos causing bare rub spots or cuts on wing elbows and their sides down by their hips. The BA is separated from the flock. The buff orp hasn't been attacked any more since I discovered the issue and doused the area w/blukote.

This next spring, I believe I may start over... I may be moving next summer anyway, and so all the birds will go and I'll start over wherever I land. I thought I might sell breed specific hatching eggs, but it never happened, so next go round I think I'll just try for the healthiest birds and let them all run together. Folks do buy my eggs for eating, and mixed breeds don't matter for that. It helps cover the feed costs. If someone wanted pure breed birds, I guess I could separate them out for a few weeks to get those eggs.

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Geeze louise... I now have a buff orp with a bloody hole at the base of her spine next to her tail... What the heck is up w/these birds! I've been feeding them w/26% protein game bird feed! molting, no eggs, egg eaters, and now cannibalism... I wonder if I'm cut out for chicken ownership.

At least you didn't get all your birds infected with a highly infectious respiratory disease, making it so you can't introduce more birds to your flock or sell chicks/hatching eggs in the future. That rude comment I got on my chicken page was right - I'm definitely positive I wasn't cut out for chicken ownership.

You've given some great advice here and have been extremely helpful. I don't think your skills at taking care of chickens are the issue with your birds.

We found out what was killing the rabbits and trying to dig into the chicken pen - 2 foxes! Right now, we're back to just hawks and owls being an issue, but I caught the neighbor harassing the peacock, so everyone is still prohibited from free ranging when I'm not around to keep an eye on them. This was the first time in over 20 years of living in that area that I've seen a fox in our yard. Most of the time, we get coyotes, raccoons, and loads of skunks. This is the first time we've had plenty of tasty prey animals, though.

 

[oshun55555]

Quote: I'm definitely positive I wasn't cut out for chicken ownership HORSE FEATHERS, you are doing just fine, people who make that kind of commentary about others are not nice people and should be pitied. I have had Mycoplasma Galisepticum, in years past, granted its best to keep a flock closed if you have such a disease, however I lost many birds and many turkeys from it, I was told I need to kill all my flocks, I told this person to go pee up a rope. I have bred from the survivors and have not a had a case in 3 years, you can produce resistant animals if you are persistent in breeding only birds with good immune systems, birds I have gotten from hatcheries do not have as good immune systems as my birds do. I keep my flocked closed and I have not suffered from it and my egg customers have not suffered from it, I just processed 70 birds Dark and buff Cornish mixes and put them in the freezer today, all descendants of the Mycoplasma plague, I wonder if the person that told me to kill my flocks ever peed up the rope? Raising chickens is about paying attention and letting the chickens tell you what is best for them, and methods of raising them is as varied as there are people raising them.

 

[COChix]

The birds have plenty of room... they've been together (each breed) since I first got them in 4 separate pens by breed. They're now ~17 mos old. In the coop they have ~ 5-6 sq ft per bird. There's >20 sq ft/bird in the runs. I don't free range them. I'm aware of space requirements. They have free access to grit as well as oyster shell. I feed them FF every morning, enough to last them all day. It was ranging 14-16% protein, but I upped it when the molt started. I have given them added protein in the form of canned mackerel every so often as well. Haven't done hanging apples or cabbage or anything and maybe I'll give that a go. I have plenty of old CD's so may hang a few of them as well.

The major egg eating started maybe a month or two ago. The cannibalism issue only just started... They don't seem to be feather picking or feather eating. Any time I see any injuries or scrapes, blood on bare skin, it immediately gets a nice dark coat of blukote. Normally that alleviates any issues. I have no idea what started the latest 2 issues. Most injuries I've seen are as a result of over breeding by the roos causing bare rub spots or cuts on wing elbows and their sides down by their hips. The BA is separated from the flock. The buff orp hasn't been attacked any more since I discovered the issue and doused the area w/blukote.

This next spring, I believe I may start over... I may be moving next summer anyway, and so all the birds will go and I'll start over wherever I land. I thought I might sell breed specific hatching eggs, but it never happened, so next go round I think I'll just try for the healthiest birds and let them all run together. Folks do buy my eggs for eating, and mixed breeds don't matter for that. It helps cover the feed costs. If someone wanted pure breed birds, I guess I could separate them out for a few weeks to get those eggs.

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.

Late, don't beat yourself up over this. These things happen in raising livestock. We can only due our best. I understand your frustration as you have put in a lot of time and energy not to mention $. You have had some odd things happen and have kept plugging along. It is all you can do. Trust me I have been beating myself up over our feather eaters. Keep your head up, will you be staying in Colorado?
.

At least you didn't get all your birds infected with a highly infectious respiratory disease, making it so you can't introduce more birds to your flock or sell chicks/hatching eggs in the future. That rude comment I got on my chicken page was right - I'm definitely positive I wasn't cut out for chicken ownership.

You've given some great advice here and have been extremely helpful. I don't think your skills at taking care of chickens are the issue with your birds.

We found out what was killing the rabbits and trying to dig into the chicken pen - 2 foxes! Right now, we're back to just hawks and owls being an issue, but I caught the neighbor harassing the peacock, so everyone is still prohibited from free ranging when I'm not around to keep an eye on them. This was the first time in over 20 years of living in that area that I've seen a fox in our yard. Most of the time, we get coyotes, raccoons, and loads of skunks. This is the first time we've had plenty of tasty prey animals, though.

Don't let that person get you down. Your flock was fine and healthy until you brought in other birds. Your birds weren't diseased you also have adopted some strays which other people might not have done. Your an animal lover, nurturer and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Do you think the expert chicken keepers in the world haven't gone through their share of diseases, deaths, behavior problems, etc. Ha everyone goes through various issues as to be expected in dealing with live animals. Everyone started somewhere, some are more prone to point out mistakes of others to feed their ego, while their are those of us who just try to guide and give advice based on our own experiences in the hopes that is might help someone or save someone from making these mistakes. For us like the later, it isn't about a competition or pissing match about our chicken skills or flocks, it is a sense of community, of like minded individuals all coming together with a common desire...raising a balanced healthiest flock possible. Pay no mind to those negative energy vampires that do exactly that, make you focus on the negative. Stay positive and keep telling those people to kindly jump off a bridge. Or better yet like Oshun said...pee up a rope.

I'm definitely positive I wasn't cut out for chicken ownership HORSE FEATHERS, you are doing just fine, people who make that kind of commentary about others are not nice people and should be pitied. I have had Mycoplasma Galisepticum, in years past, granted its best to keep a flock closed if you have such a disease, however I lost many birds and many turkeys from it, I was told I need to kill all my flocks, I told this person to go pee up a rope. I have bred from the survivors and have not a had a case in 3 years, you can produce resistant animals if you are persistent in breeding only birds with good immune systems, birds I have gotten from hatcheries do not have as good immune systems as my birds do. I keep my flocked closed and I have not suffered from it and my egg customers have not suffered from it, I just processed 70 birds Dark and buff Cornish mixes and put them in the freezer today, all descendants of the Mycoplasma plague, I wonder if the person that told me to kill my flocks ever peed up the rope?

Raising chickens is about paying attention and letting the chickens tell you what is best for them, and methods of raising them is as varied as there are people raising them. 

Raising chickens is about paying attention and letting the chickens tell you what is best for them, and methods of raising them is as varied as there are people raising them.