Group attacking one bird

[fonnyfarm]

Just put a group of 15 birds in a large coop and run that extends past 20’. Most birds are Dominique, 2 Americanus and one Icelandic. There are about 5 male/ females attacking the one Americanus bird. Plucking feathers and creating bald spot some blood. I am separating a bit for healing. Bought a spray for healing and deterrent. Why are the birds attacking?? They’re about 8 weeks old and have been together since hatching.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of your set up?

 

[fonnyfarm]

We are still working on it. The inside has 5 nesting boxes and two rows of roosts. Picture of my poor girl too.

 

[Mrs. K]

That looks like enough space for 15 chicks at that age. A thing I see is there is little use of the vertical space, and there is no where to get away or out of sight. Adding clutter would help. Roosts, platforms, shelters such as totes on their side would really help… temporarily .

To get a healthy successful flock you will need to do some culling. This will help your full grown flock fit happily in the coop and run you have.

Birds being raised together have little to no influence on behavior. What does affect flock behavior is space, how the space is set up, and the gender of your birds.

I would suggest culling the roosters, they are becoming sexually active and competitive. That many rooster are just beginning to make the pullets lives miserable, this behavior will spread to other pullets soon.

If this is your first year with chicken let all the roosters go. IMO raising roosters take experience. They can be dangerous to other birds and to people, especially children.

Mrs K

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mrs K had good advice, the run space is lacking clutter to help break up the space, provide hiding spots and give them stuff to do.

As far as the bird that was attacked, if you have it isolated I hope it's being kept in sight of the others, to avoid having to reintegrate her into the flock.