Help

[kearstin17]

I new at this chicken thing. I have 11 chickens that are 20-24 weeks. All of a sudden they are peacking each other to the point that half of them have bald spots. They use to get along great and now this. I don't have a rooster so I don't know what is going on. Please tell me how to fix this. I am freaking out. It just started a few days ago and it's bad.

 

[Roosterlover5]

They may just be arranging their pecking order.

 

[kearstin17]

So this could be normal? I have noticed that the 4 that are laying eggs are like best friends now and stick together but 3 of those 4 are missing feathers on there backs. I never realized how stressed I could get over my chickens lol

 

[Den in Penn]

It is not normal to be pecked till they a bare in a pecking order shake up. Most likely you have a feather picker. Some just develop the bad habit of pulling out the others feathers and eating them. Most likely candidate is the better feathered bird. You can try distractions or upping the protein as a first step to stop it. Next steps could be seperation or pinless peepers.

 

[suki'smom]

Do you have a rooster?

 

[kearstin17]

I have been watching and I have 2 that are pecking the others the most ( they are all pecking each other though) and they are eating the feathers. One is a leghorn and the other a easter egger. One of my chickens is bleeding a little from being pecked at so much. I donot think I have a rooster. I now have 6 laying and 5 that are not now. Out of that 5 that are not 3 are squating so I know there close to laying. The other 2 show no signs of laying soon but they are my youngest chickens. They are a speckled sussex and a SLW which I did think the SLW was a rooster but after posting the pic on here everyone said it is a girl and I have no crowing.