Help, Layers always fighting!

[cluckmecoop7]

They are way too crowded. They need to go outside. Chickens are meant to be OUTSIDE. They are not dogs or cats.

 

[reelmza]

Hello reelmza,

from what it seems by your pictures there are far too many chickens in this room, so if you have the facilities I would advise to divide the number in half .

In addition I would suggest the following:

1. Set up wooden roosts so they can retreat and get some rest if need be.
2. You might want to provide some tubs with fine fresh sand for dust-bathing, which reduces stress and aggressive behaviour.
3. To avoid boredom and distract them from pecking and bullying the other hens you could provide some fresh vegetables i.e. carrots or broccoli or even some apples or corncobs.
4. You could even mount some feeders and water suspenders up on a second level so the bullied chickens will be able to eat and drink as well.
5. What kind of bedding do you use? And how often do you clean out and change the bedding? The bedding I see in the picture looks quite rough and hard, so maybe this could be the reason for the bumble foot problem.

Its a North Nigerian groundnut shaft. its pretty hard, because in my town...saw dust is hard to get.

But thank you alot, i feel sort of guilty for this chickens stress its time for a change!!

 

[reelmza]

I agree with everyone else. 30cm per chicken is not enough. They need minimum 1.2 meters each. That should really help with attacking eachother. Also as others said they need some roosts.

That looks like some bad bumblefoot, their bedding is getting too wet and not dryin,g out, a lot of chickens in one room will do that. Is that the only one with it? What bedding are you using?

Bedding is a north nigerian groundnut peel, the big size saw waste is the only alternantive and i cant get it in my town, but ill try use some softer material

 

[LaFleche]

Its a North Nigerian groundnut shaft. its pretty hard, because in my town...saw dust is hard to get.

But thank you alot, i feel sort of guilty for this chickens stress its time for a change!!

How about using sand and dried leaves (of nontoxic plants) for bedding? Your chickens will love it.

 

[reelmza]

How about using sand and dried leaves (of nontoxic plants) for bedding? Your chickens will love it.

Yes sand? i can get a lot of that. i live in a partial desert, there's much sand.

thanks

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Yes sand? i can get a lot of that. i live in a partial desert, there's much sand.

thanks

If you use sand, you can get something like a cat litter scoop, or something similar to scoop and sift the poop from the sand. It will keep your coop so much cleaner and decrease likelihood for bumblefoot! Did you say you were not able to let your hens free range? Do you have the chickens just for yourself and your family or do you sell the eggs as a source of income? If they are just for your family and you are unable to let them out of the coop, could you consider in the future having fewer chickens to avoid overcrowding? It's tough sometimes with chickens... I went from 11 to 19 and suddenly my coop is overcrowded too so I've got to find an alternative solution!

 

[reelmza]

If you use sand, you can get something like a cat litter scoop, or something similar to scoop and sift the poop from the sand. It will keep your coop so much cleaner and decrease likelihood for bumblefoot! Did you say you were not able to let your hens free range? Do you have the chickens just for yourself and your family or do you sell the eggs as a source of income? If they are just for your family and you are unable to let them out of the coop, could you consider in the future having fewer chickens to avoid overcrowding? It's tough sometimes with chickens... I went from 11 to 19 and suddenly my coop is overcrowded too so I've got to find an alternative solution!

I raise them for commercial purposes mam, theres a lot of free rooms ill distribute the layers evenly tomorrow... and about the sand its not big deal..... i can take it out every month and put new ones

thanks!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I raise them for commercial purposes mam, theres a lot of free rooms ill distribute the layers evenly tomorrow... and about the sand its not big deal..... i can take it out every month and put new ones

thanks!

Good luck with your hens!

 

[reelmza]

Good luck with your hens!

thanks ma!

 

[Dephora]

I raise them for commercial purposes mam, theres a lot of free rooms ill distribute the layers evenly tomorrow... and about the sand its not big deal..... i can take it out every month and put new ones

thanks!

I use sand in my coop as well. It is a very good bedding material because it dries very quick. Moisture or wet bedding is what causes bad health problems. I change it completely once a year. I rake the poop out daily. In a coop with good ventilation and drainage you could do 10-12 cm. But if you are going for along time between raking/cleaning or the air flow is bad you should do even deeper. 25-30 cm.