Gaping Vent, Feather Loss, Yellow vent area, Death WARNING GRAPHIC PIC

[cjeanean]

I also think it depends on how large the birds are. At 7 weeks how big are they? I'm trying to get an idea from the pic, but they aren't very clear. Right now my birds don't meet the space requirements inside their coop, but they have a very large run that they go out into every day. Do yours get run time?

 

[scubagirl]

I am very sorry,

I beleive 50 chickens is way to many for that size coop

30 chickens would even be alot.

I have a book it says 8 x 12 can only handle a maximum of 30 chickens

Even 30 chickens in a 12 x 12 is quite crowded.

I would definitely let them free range or build a bigger coop.

And know you will have to separate all the ones that are cannibilising. I read that once they start that, it may be difficult to break them of it no matter what you do.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Doesn't really matter how big/small the space is, if they're doing that to each other, it's too small a space. At 7 weeks these birds are close to full grown, and they are piranhas- I've been nearly mowed down by 20 of them when they see me coming with the feed-bucket! That many birds in 144 sf leaves less than 3 sf per bird, barely enough room to move around. They're bored, they're crowded, they're like teenagers in detention... spitefully mean. Splitting them up and giving them more room will definitely help. I'm so sorry... I've never seen anything like that...

 

[eggchel]

Perhaps a less radical shortening of the upper beak would work instead of regular de-beaking.


Chel

 

[Gallina]

I let them run around for a while eveyday, but I went by everything I read on portable pens...
These are the Ranger Chickens whick so many others are raising...
They won't be full grown for another 3 weeks.
BTW.. thank you all so very much for your replys. The birds are on a piece of property that we own about 2 miles from our house, it is not fenced. Let me see what I can do.

 

[ruth]

I'm curious, if you go by and check on them every day then did that degree of damage happen overnight? They look like they were eaten by a large animal. I can't believe they lived like that - well up until the point they finally died.

 

[illinichick]

Yes, this happens very fast! We checked ours 3-4 times a day and we would go out and find one bleeding to death with 2-3 others pecking away. It finally stopped when I put various objects in the coop such as an empty water bottle, piece of fire wood, hung cabbages. I dont know which worked but it finally did after a couple of weeks. Mine were layers though, not broilers.
I also started spreading oats around the room to give them something to scratch for.

 

[Gallina]

Yes it happens quickly. I check on them twice a day. I think what happens also is that they peck at each other, they draw a speck of blood, and then many of them start pecking at that blood, until the poor chicken is decimated.
I am going to put a portable fence around the pens and possibly move the pens less but give them more room to run around.
Has anybody else with the Ranger chickens had any problem like this?
I know many people in the area that are raising broilers in Salatin style pens and they donot have this. They are raising Cornish Cross hens though....

 

[alir1]

Please read: http://fowlfacts.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=afflictiondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1442

There probably is actually 2 things going on.

1) hens instinctively try to protect the integrety of the pack. If another hen has something contagious, the poultry (like all animals & us) try to isolate it rapidly by culling flock themselves.

2) It sounds like a yeast infection that is spreading through flock (see contagious vent gleet).
(birds look/act healthy until you notice soilded vent area).
The more hens are confined in close proximaty to each other, the more rapid the spreading. And the faster hens will peck the rear end out of the other to attempt to contain it.

Probably reason it seemed to stop on own, is once the hens were allowed to spread out ,a) they could get away from infected hens so no longer need to cull it/ b) the infected hens were finally culled out of there.

So maybe consider both:
1) Much More Room ( 12x12 may be fine for roosting, but certainly not for day roaming). Either invest in cage method to keep from coming into contact with environment or free range, but put up with internal/external parasites and preditors. Or at least a large yard as well as 12x12 hen house with 30-50.
2) Give a steady diet as to not upset their digestive tracts which starts or destroys normal bacteria balance, and plenty fresh water. (avoid feeding mix diets or making changes to diets, ie fruits along with feed, or adding anything, ie Apple Cider Vinegar)

Remember, Apple Cider Vinegar can cure alot of ailments.
However if given before an ailment, it can also kill the good & wholesome bacterial balance of the intestines, thus starting a problem later on.

Coomercial producers avoid these problems by keeping all seperated and only keeping no longer than required -3 months for meat birds, 2-3 years for layers.
Whether we like it or not, we are forced to face=the longer in possession, the higher the risk to loosing them to illness, so they eat them first.

I personally am like all backyard keepers and attempt to keep mine much longer.

it comes at steep expense and time costs and more critical it becomes for : roominess, fresh and sanitary the drinking bowls (wash with soap every 2-3 days), The more uniform their diets, (yours and their) habits must be, and the more heartache, time and medicine one will encounter.

I ,like most, fell into not realizing how difficult keeping birds are, say to goats or horses.
But now realizing it takes the same skill as keeping a parrot healthy, multiplied by 30-50 of them.

So give room, don't change daily habits and diets, stay on parasite routine, don't mix ages as this all lends to internal stress that changes gut juice. Like All birds (cockatiels to pheasant) are very sensitive to what seems like minor changes within their general confinement. You often won't notice for weeks-months, then not know what brought it about.

and by the way, make sure to give concrete (patio blocks work well) so they can trim their beaks themselves.
Debeaking is outlawed in Europe for good reason.
Here in states, USDA requires training for it as there is a main vein and nerve root. Debeaking is only done on chicks before nerve root and blood vessel gets to large.
You can start neuralgia easily and many times you have to cauterize, which starts a pain cycle too or they can bleed to death.
Having to resort to debeaking tells others that birds are over-crowed or ill. I have never experienced cannibalism in 15 + years of raising poultry and selling eggs, even when flock sisters were injured. They have plenty of room to stay clear of the injured and trust I'll take care of it. So they don't feel the need to take matters on themselves.
Just follow above stabilization methods and remember, cannibalism is a sign they are attempting to cull someone out before everyone gets ill generally by parasites, but can be disease such as contagious yeast infection, too much light at night making them irritable with sleeping partner, etc. etc.

Good luck to all,
I have to go blow dry my hen with vent gleet from not following own advice and adding stuff to diet like fruit, eggs and apple cider vinegar, garlic.
Never had these problems when I just fed steady layer pellets. UGGGH!!

 

[KristyHall]

Those birds are way too crowded. They start killing one another when they feel crowded, no matter how much food is available. Once one starts it, they all usually get in on it. It can be a terrible habit to break. Some people try keeping them under a red light at all times to help discourage the pecking. Illness can also be a trigger.