Help needed ! Cannibalism in 2 month old hens

[DianasC]

Hello ! Hoping someone could help me out.

I have 45 young hens and possibly some roos hatch date April 8th, that were living inside until yesterday when I moved them to a 10x10 coop( they were getting too big). It was cold last night so I put on the heating lamp. ( white light) my red bulb had gone out. This morning when I went in there was a salmon faverolle laying in the middle of the coop with half of its body missing, bottom half had been eaten. I watched them for about 10 minutes before closing them up for the night and everything looked fine. You get the occasional what looks like a fight with a couple but it lasts for a couple seconds and they go separate ways.

just now I checked on them again and in the corner there was a polish chicken with its wing ripped off barlyhanging. I have separated her.

they are on medicated feed chick started feed. I have 35 five year old hens and have never experienced this before and can’t find much about it online.

does anyone have any tips as to how to stop whatever is going on here ?? I still haven’t witnessed which one or how many might be doing this. Extreme pecking that’s turning to cannibalism??

 

[sourland]

If they were not cannibalizing one another under crowded conditions, I would be concerned that there may be a predator that is attacking them in the new coop.

 

[Aapomp831]

10x10 is not large enough for 45 chicks..... fighting occurs due to stress from crowding, and once they taste that yummy blood they will obsess over it and can cannibalize each other to death. It would be best to extend their living conditions.
Anybody who has been pecked at and has open wounds needs to be separated or they will continue to be pecked.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You need to axe the light, if they're being kept in light 24/7 it's stressful and can contribute to behavioral issues. At 2 months old there's absolutely no reason for them to need heat, even if you're below freezing.

That said, this could possibly be a predator issue, with the others taking advantage of an injured or dying bird. Rats and weasels can get into gaps as small as 1/2".