If you can catch the culprit early you can clip the upper beak slightly and it will be harder for them to peck to the point of blood. I usually cull them though.
Feather pecking and meat protein? UPDATE
- Thread starter Lisa202
- Start date
You've got a nice set-up for them. That sounds like a pretty good feed to me. I'm sure they added the sesame seed because it's one of the better plant sources of methionine and they're quite high in protein. So, I think they were going for a balanced amino acid profile. Did the pecking start right after you changed feed? If it started before the food change, just ignore the next two paragraphs.
Sometimes chickens can be fussy about feed changes. They don't like the flavor as much, they don't like pellets as much as crumble or it just looks different. Is this feed a crumble, pellet or one of the feeds that looks more like grain, with the powdery ingredients just loosely mixed in? I'm wondering if she may not like it as much.
Could she either be not eating enough and be hungry or just cranky about the change? The other thing I would wonder about is if she isn't eating as much and could be filling up on flock block. I don't remember how flock block compares to regular feed. Is it possible that it might not be fulfilling her needs, if she is doing that? If the new feed is the type of feed where a lot of the ingredients are a loose powder, she may not be getting enough of the powdered part. That would include the kelp, that provides salt, along with a lot of minerals and vitamins. Sometimes you can mix some of that with a little yogurt, to get them to eat it.
If she's always been this way, then it may just be that she's a really aggressive chicken. It's always good to review any underlying issues that could be contributing to pecking and fix them. Even if all the chickens aren't pecking, they could still be stressed by whatever is driving the more aggressive chicken. Chickens can peck for a lot of different reasons, including anything that makes them cranky. Even not getting enough sleep because a bright light is on all night or because external parasites are biting them. Sometimes more aggressive chickens don't mix well with more docile breeds. Sometimes it's because they're crowded. Sometimes it's because you changed their schedule and now their free range time is limited. Sometimes it's because they're missing something in their diet, like enough protein, a particular amino acid is low or they aren't getting enough salt. It could even be because they aren't getting enough food or water, in cases where they don't have free access all the time.
Every once in awhile, a person can just get a particular chicken that is unusually aggressive. You could cull, try keeping her separate long enough to lower her status in the flock, trim her upper beak so she can't get a good grip on her victim or try a pair of peepers on her, so she can't get a good targeting aim on her victim.
Sometimes chickens can be fussy about feed changes. They don't like the flavor as much, they don't like pellets as much as crumble or it just looks different. Is this feed a crumble, pellet or one of the feeds that looks more like grain, with the powdery ingredients just loosely mixed in? I'm wondering if she may not like it as much.
Could she either be not eating enough and be hungry or just cranky about the change? The other thing I would wonder about is if she isn't eating as much and could be filling up on flock block. I don't remember how flock block compares to regular feed. Is it possible that it might not be fulfilling her needs, if she is doing that? If the new feed is the type of feed where a lot of the ingredients are a loose powder, she may not be getting enough of the powdered part. That would include the kelp, that provides salt, along with a lot of minerals and vitamins. Sometimes you can mix some of that with a little yogurt, to get them to eat it.
If she's always been this way, then it may just be that she's a really aggressive chicken. It's always good to review any underlying issues that could be contributing to pecking and fix them. Even if all the chickens aren't pecking, they could still be stressed by whatever is driving the more aggressive chicken. Chickens can peck for a lot of different reasons, including anything that makes them cranky. Even not getting enough sleep because a bright light is on all night or because external parasites are biting them. Sometimes more aggressive chickens don't mix well with more docile breeds. Sometimes it's because they're crowded. Sometimes it's because you changed their schedule and now their free range time is limited. Sometimes it's because they're missing something in their diet, like enough protein, a particular amino acid is low or they aren't getting enough salt. It could even be because they aren't getting enough food or water, in cases where they don't have free access all the time.
Every once in awhile, a person can just get a particular chicken that is unusually aggressive. You could cull, try keeping her separate long enough to lower her status in the flock, trim her upper beak so she can't get a good grip on her victim or try a pair of peepers on her, so she can't get a good targeting aim on her victim.
- Thread starter
- #13
It has only happened after I switched feed. I'm not sure if she's eating enough of the new feed as I never see any of them eating whats in the feeders. It is a pellet, but their last feed was pellet too. I really never see them eating it (except one chicken and the rooster) They're always pecking at the ground. And I don't have to add frequently as the feeders are big and I don't have a lot of chickens emptying it. I had a night light on (up until this morning) I read that it should be dark, so off it went. I kept her in chicken jail all day today, then let her free range with the others. She didnt peck them while free ranging, but then started again when they went into the run. (this is only the 2nd time they have ever been out of the run to free range, so it was something very different and distracting)
The weird thing is that she only pecks on the other 2 buff brahmas (she one also). No one else has a bare bottom. And stupidly, they go in front of her and start eating exposing their bottoms in her face. You'd think they'd avoid her?
Well, for today I gave her a lot of protein and they're going to bed now, so I'll deal with this tomorrow.
Thanks
The weird thing is that she only pecks on the other 2 buff brahmas (she one also). No one else has a bare bottom. And stupidly, they go in front of her and start eating exposing their bottoms in her face. You'd think they'd avoid her?
Well, for today I gave her a lot of protein and they're going to bed now, so I'll deal with this tomorrow.
Thanks
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #14
UPDATE SUNDAY MORNING
OK...taking in all considerations and advice you all gave me for what could be causing this behavior...
1)Protein problem? I gave her tuna fish, starter feed, and meal worms for 2 days now.
2)Overcrowding? I really don't have one, but I let them out free ranging for the first time this weekend all day.
3)Boredom? I really don't think a chicken would be bored being let out to explore the world for the first time.
And yet she's still pecking and now there's a little scab on Midge's butt. I can't have this continue.
Since no other chickens are having this problem and if the protein problem did exist, I would think they would all have it...so I'm going to assume it's an "I'm a bully" problem and knowing that she is in fact, head chicken, I decided to separate for a week or 2 to put her lower in the pecking order. I put her in the little coop that is right next to the main run. (they can see each other)
Has anyone tried this to stop feather pecking? And if so, did it work? How long should this take?
Thanks again!
OK...taking in all considerations and advice you all gave me for what could be causing this behavior...
1)Protein problem? I gave her tuna fish, starter feed, and meal worms for 2 days now.
2)Overcrowding? I really don't have one, but I let them out free ranging for the first time this weekend all day.
3)Boredom? I really don't think a chicken would be bored being let out to explore the world for the first time.
And yet she's still pecking and now there's a little scab on Midge's butt. I can't have this continue.
Since no other chickens are having this problem and if the protein problem did exist, I would think they would all have it...so I'm going to assume it's an "I'm a bully" problem and knowing that she is in fact, head chicken, I decided to separate for a week or 2 to put her lower in the pecking order. I put her in the little coop that is right next to the main run. (they can see each other)
Has anyone tried this to stop feather pecking? And if so, did it work? How long should this take?
Thanks again!
I tried it but only for a couple of days - not long enough. Now I've got saddles on the picked upon chickens. I think I would keep her right out of sight of the other chickens while she is separated. I had a sick chicken that was separated for 3 weeks and she had to do some social climbing once she came back into the flock, but she did get back to her usual place in the hierarchy. Anything is worth trying though. Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #17
Quote:
When was the last time you dusted for lice and mites?
If it has been sometime or not at all you might try dusting.
Chris
I sprinkle De in the coop fairly often and mix it in with the peat moss for the dust bath regularly if that is what you are referring to? Is there something different I should be putting down? I don't see any mites or lice on them.
When was the last time you dusted for lice and mites?
If it has been sometime or not at all you might try dusting.
Chris
I sprinkle De in the coop fairly often and mix it in with the peat moss for the dust bath regularly if that is what you are referring to? Is there something different I should be putting down? I don't see any mites or lice on them.
Quote:
When was the last time you dusted for lice and mites?
If it has been sometime or not at all you might try dusting.
Chris
I sprinkle De in the coop fairly often and mix it in with the peat moss for the dust bath regularly if that is what you are referring to? Is there something different I should be putting down? I don't see any mites or lice on them.
I never had luck with DE, you could try Poultry Protector, Prozap Garden and Poultry Dust, Seven dust or Ivomec.
I use a combination of Prozap Garden and Poultry Dust or Seven Dust and Ivomec.
Chris
When was the last time you dusted for lice and mites?
If it has been sometime or not at all you might try dusting.
Chris
I sprinkle De in the coop fairly often and mix it in with the peat moss for the dust bath regularly if that is what you are referring to? Is there something different I should be putting down? I don't see any mites or lice on them.
I never had luck with DE, you could try Poultry Protector, Prozap Garden and Poultry Dust, Seven dust or Ivomec.
I use a combination of Prozap Garden and Poultry Dust or Seven Dust and Ivomec.
Chris
I'm so glad someone started this thread! I'm having the same problem
I have a barred rock plucking my bantam Cochin. The BR is in timeout until the saddle arrives for my Cochin. I'm beginning to think everyone is right, the BR may have to go.
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