Hear Vicks is good for pecking but its SEVERAL hens please help! New chicken mama don't know what is

[BeckyChickenLvr]

Hi there! Just wanted to try and get some help. I have been doing lots of research about pecking. Trying the Vics tonight. Questions;

It's several hens- 8 out of 9 hens is pecked. Some literally so bad! One- I can see tooo much! I have used Stop pick stuff from the feed store. Applied it sevral times it's helped (some) not all. Applied it daily. Especially about 3 hens that are REALLY bad! Many mostly bad. I have a flock of 10 including a rooster (he makes 10) Nothing is off his back but underneath he is red and plucked.

Everything I read says stress?! They have a huge barn 3 feeding stations 2 water stations and they free roam all day until evening. They have 7 boxes for laying. I'm perplexed! Why aren't they happy? They are all Red's. They are ALL held daily and loved on especially my rooster. He is my baby. I adore them all! I'm scared I'm gonna loose someone due to picking! I don't understand why?!?!!??! They started this behavior! Why is it several instead of one or 2?! 8 of them?! Whats going on in my flock?! There is only 1 hen who isn't missing feathers. Should I confine her? IS she doing this to everyone? I actually caught 2 of the pecked ones pecking at eachother? UGH! What am I doing wrong? They are on good protein feed and we give oystershell along with mesh?!?! They get probiotics! I don't know what else to do?!

Thanks for any help you can give!!!

Best,
Becky

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi there! Just wanted to try and get some help. I have been doing los of research about pecking. Trying the Vics tonight. Questions;

It's several hens- 8 out of 9 hens is pecked. Some literally so bad! I have used Stop pick stuff from the feed store. Applied it sevral times it's helped (some) not all. Especially about 3. I have a flock of 10 including a rooster (he makes 10) Nothing is off his back but underneath he is red and plucked.

Everything I read says stress?! They have a huge barn 3 feeding stations 2 water stations and they free roam all day until evening. They have 7 boxes for laying. I'm perplexed! Why aren't they happy? They are all Red's. They are ALL held daily and loved on especially my rooster. I adore them! I'm scared I'm gonna loose someone due to picking! I don't understand why?!?!!??! Why is it several instead of one or 2?! Whats going on in my flock?! There is only 1 hen who isn't missing feathers. Should I confine her? IS she doing this to everyone? I actually caught 2 of the pecked ones pecking at eachother? UGH! What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for any help you can give!!!

Best,
Becky

I have had that problem, but for me---it was just 2 hens that were mainly doing it. They were eating the small feathers. I removed them from the flock into separate cages after trying several things. About 1 1/2 months later I put them back in one at a time----the first seemed to be cured, Then the next day I put the other in. In a little while I heard the rooster holler----Like before---I got close and watched---she pulled another feather and he hollered again. I went in there and grabbed her and carried her to another pen with the same breed in it. I watched she tried to peck a feather on that rooster and he attacked her like she was a MAN----lol. I think that broke her---she kinda stayed away from the new mates. I never seen her try that again.

I personally do not know anything you can use to stop them, maybe some one will chime in with a Known Fact---cure instead of a might or maybe. Good Luck

 

[BeckyChickenLvr]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm just beside myself. As I really don't know what is going on...really makes me sad. I'll try the vicks but I feel like I could help better if I KNEW what the problem was.....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What do you consider a good protein feed? I highly recommend 18-22% to prevent deficiencies. If it isn't a space or boredom issue I would assume it's a protein deficiency. Are they high production birds? How old are they? Are they bloody or are you just seeing feathers everywhere? Do you see them doing it? Are you sure it's not a molt?

I just have a few questions apparently.

 

[donrae]

Sorry you're having these issues. I'm going to ask some questions so we can help you better.

first, and probably most important, we need pictures of the birds, showing the problem areas.

Now...

How old are the birds?
Where are you located?
What do you feed?
changes in egg production?
Have you witnessed them pecking/plucking feathers from each other?
Have you checked for mites?

 

[BeckyChickenLvr]

Hi thank u guys! I got them last spring so they are fairly young. Egg production is great even through the winter, this year. No mites that I can see. What types of food should I try them on? I don't think it's molting because it's on top of their heads to and their Combs some of them are picked on?!? Does that help? I will take some pictures tomorrow. I did put some Vicks vapor rub on them tonight. I put them on oyster shells as a supplement I was told that should help the picking? I will take a picture of the feed tomorrow also. Thank you again for your replies and advice! It means a lot to me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Top of the head can be from the rooster either mating too roughly or him pinning them down and pecking. I would spend some time observing them to see who is doing it, and if it is indeed the rooster.

Oyster shells should always be available free choice, but has nothing to do with pecking. I feed an All Flock, otherwise a non medicated grower for a higher protein. Layer is often too low in protein if anything else is added to the diet.

 

[rustywagons]

Hi there! Just wanted to try and get some help. I have been doing lots of research about pecking. Trying the Vics tonight. Questions;

It's several hens- 8 out of 9 hens is pecked. Some literally so bad! One- I can see tooo much! I have used Stop pick stuff from the feed store. Applied it sevral times it's helped (some) not all. Applied it daily. Especially about 3 hens that are REALLY bad! Many mostly bad. I have a flock of 10 including a rooster (he makes 10) Nothing is off his back but underneath he is red and plucked.

Everything I read says stress?! They have a huge barn 3 feeding stations 2 water stations and they free roam all day until evening. They have 7 boxes for laying. I'm perplexed! Why aren't they happy? They are all Red's. They are ALL held daily and loved on especially my rooster. He is my baby. I adore them all! I'm scared I'm gonna loose someone due to picking! I don't understand why?!?!!??! They started this behavior! Why is it several instead of one or 2?! 8 of them?! Whats going on in my flock?! There is only 1 hen who isn't missing feathers. Should I confine her? IS she doing this to everyone? I actually caught 2 of the pecked ones pecking at eachother? UGH! What am I doing wrong? They are on good protein feed and we give oystershell along with mesh?!?! They get probiotics! I don't know what else to do?!

Thanks for any help you can give!!!

Best,
Becky

Time to check for Mites, lice?

I had to dusty my flick one year. I bought straw that was contaminated. Everything was contaminated.

I had to put flick outside and bomb the coop.

Yes! Bad they were acting cannibalism.

One girl was completely naked

After all that it calmed down.

Suggest check at night lice and or mites.

A friend of mine used moth balls while all chickens were outside. I didn't try that.

I just (early morning 7am) removed everyone dusted them and bombed the coop. (NO FOOD CONTAINERS ETC. ALL MOVED. ALL OLD STRAW ETC.) Let me know if it helped. Sometimes starting from scratch removes things we don't recognise.
Good luck.