Hen Pecked

[jalnadoods8]

We have four brown chickens all laying well, however one of them is constantly being picked on, the others peck & attack her(she looks really scrawny as they pull out her feathers). She keeps well away from the others and is a real loner, we can't even get close to her to give her food, so she has a problem with managing to eat enough ! Please can someone come up with an answer ?

 

[Ema]

pecking could be caused by so many factors, first and foremost I would suggest that you check that chicken over carefully to be sure there is nothing visibly or physically wrong with her. Second I would remove the top hen for a few days and see if things calm down and then put her back in, if she goes for the attack once more then remove her again. Until she gets the idea really. breaking up the pecking attack when it happens is also a good start.

Check your lighting, what have you got in there now? if anything? a red light has been said to reduce pecking, but I dunno about that, I use a heat lamp in the winter and well my hens still pecked at each other if their combs got injured, so I didn't really see a difference.

Of course, square footage of your coop and run if you have one, if their accommodations are too cramped they will peck each other, I am not sure what your set up is like.

lastly, if she is really small compared to the rest she is obviously the one at the bottom of the pecking order, no pun intended, you do need to focus on her getting more protein and more attention so she can gain some weight and get a bit healthier, a scrawny chicken is not going ot be in the healthiest of states and can't possibly stand up for herself against bigger chickens.

I have always removed the top bullies in my coop for a day or so whenever I have seem them misbehave or go after another hen...and it has always worked. Now I haven't had to always separate them, but just being picked up in the moment and carried around under my arm has proven to them they are not top hen, I am!! and that tends to settle them up.

adding a second feeder and waterer in there might also help the hen being picked on.

Good luck, keep us posted,

Ema

 

[Barnmaradotte]

ok. I would like to chime in if that's ok. I have some pecking issues going on as well. I have 8 lf hens that were all raised together. At first there was 15, most went to new homes. well after the majority of them left the pecking started which I expected. But now they they have started laying its like they are starting over. Can laying effect pecking order somehow? and the packing is all on their backs before the tail. some damaged more than others. a couple not at all. The run works out to about a 15x15 (300sq ft) and the coop is 7x4 (28sqft). 2 best boxes. I havnt gotten more than 2 eggs in a single box per day. Well that's my equation. Any ideas? btw. is there something I can put on the peck spots that will make them stop getting pecked there? I may have to put 1 or 2 in jail.

 

[PattyO]

Having the same problem. My victim hen is the smallest but appears normal. Anybody use the antipecking spray or an apron? I cant be with them all day