Having a problem and need HELP!

[creative.hortic]

I have a flock of 5 wyandottes, 5 months old.....one started laying last week, one yesterday...I went out last nite to check for eggs and one girl was in her nest box and 2 others were in there with her and pecking her like crazy! They were making soo much noise! Her lower back was already missing a few feathers from the rooster we had (and got rid of last week) but they were picking her bloody. So i called the local chicken guru and he said to seperate her cuz they would pck her to death. I put her in a crate in the garage. Now this morning, I went to check on them(cuz i noticed last nite another girl that was missing a few feathers in the same place, made me nervous) and there are 2 more all picked up!! What is going on? It kinda seems like they are fighting over the 'favorite' nest box, but only 2 are laying..... I cant seperate all of them, anyone else have this happen? They were raised together and all got along till now! What is this behavior?

 

[chicmom]

A couple thing to think about......Check them over really well for any parasites. Sometimes this brings on pecking. Hens will always establish a pecking order, but if you have one or two that are especially mean, you can isolate them for a while, then bring them back into the flock, which sometimes helps.

I've gotten rid of a couple of hens that were just plain mean. They were making bald spots on the back of each and every hen in my flock. Finally one day, I just sat in the corner of the coop quietly and watched. Then I saw them....two New Hampshire red hens just pecking the crap out of everyone! Off they went to a friend with a larger farm.

Good luck to you! I like my hens to look beautiful, so I understand your frustration.....Chickens can be so darned mean! You can buy a product called Blue Cote, and it comes in a spray, which will help deter feather picking while a wound heals. I have to warn you, it is BRIGHT BLUE! But it does deter pecking.

Good luck,
Sharon

 

[creative.hortic]

thanks for the info...Did they peck till bloody? that just seems odd
i realize now that i should have posted this in emergencies section, but this could be a managment issue too, right?