Hens picking each other

[dhcubcadet]

To the folks out there with the experience in the "spring sit". I have myself 12 chickens 9 young white wyandottes and a young rooster + 2 older, "parents".
Things have been going well these past 6 months since I have first got them but since the end of February and the first of this month my chickens have been getting in more fights, they have never have done since thy first got them. I searched some sites on the internet and I came up with, socking there necks and head with vinagar not to get it in there eyes. It worked for maybe 5 - 6 hours untile the next dose. They seemed to like it but to be going over 2 maybe 3 time a day it just got to much. So what i did was separate the fighters, but it just made it worse.
So what I want to know is if this is just the time of year or if this is a serious problem. It would be nice to hear back form some of you.

Devin Hayman
[email protected]

 

[Kittymomma]

Usually that kind of behaviour is from overcrowding or diet. What size coop/run do they have and what are you feeding them? In the meantime I'd get some blu-kote from the feed store and apply it to any red areas they have--it will help them heal faster and *should* keep the others from pecking at the raw spots.

ETA: There are more posts about this in the winter because many chooks are more closely confined because of bad weather.

 

[SmartyChick]

The first thing that came to my mind was: how big is your coop?? If it is too small (min. of 4 square feet per chicken) they may need more room so everyone has their "space". If one chicken is being a constant trouble maker then you could either a) put bully in solitary confinement for a while or b) if a doesn't work bully chicken may have to be removed.
Also, there could be no real problem at all. If blood is being drawn, then I would be concerned, if not then they are probably "love spats" and cabin fever. Mine have been a little grumpy too.

Hope this helps.

 

[dhcubcadet]

No blood is being drawn from the wounds but on 1 i am sort of concerned about. All that my friends say is it is the time of year?

It isn't like there isn't enough room they all live in a building 10 by 12 whick works out to be 120 square feet about 10 square feet per chicken. I don't think it is over crowding. The only problem that i have is that maybe 4 hens like to have control over the "feed + watering station", usally all that happens there is one of the hens team up with EARL (the rooster) and reclam the place.

For what i am feeding them goes kind of like this: A special mixer that i got from Ken, the guy we got the wyandottes from and he said to give them a mixture of cracked corn, whole oats, Barly and whole wheat there's some thing eles along with a very small hand full of crushed oyster shell. This combination of how much to give of each was something he found would give the most eggs possible. I had no luck with layin' Mash. But for the thing about the mixture, I see no problem.

Devin Hayman

 

[Kittymomma]

I do think it's likely your feed. That mix sounds low in protien and feathers are high in protien so they'll pick them and eat them to make up the difference. You could try to set up a second feed/water station so the bullies can't control access so easily. If your willing to change the feed I give mine 22% protien gamebird feed and put out a container of oyster shell that the hens eat free choice.

 

[ksenay385]

We have 25 Red Sex Links and suddenly they started pecking badly. We have removed 8 so far that were pretty bloody. I have hung cabbage which entertains them for a while but the pecking continues. I searched the internet and found to put vaseline on the pecked area, but they still pecked. I also read on the internet to put vinegar in there water which I started today. I hung 2 large rectangle aluminum pans today and the band plays on! It seems to work. Everytime I went up to check things today they were banging away. We have Blue Kote on order so maybe that will help also. These chcikens haven't been out yet and we have over 2 feet of snow. I can't wait until spring to get there new outdor area built. Our first flock were free range until coyotes showed up. So this group will be fenced in. We have a huge coyote and hawk population since last summer. I have a Golden Retriever who will bark and run to the coop if the hens and roosters get riled up. He has chased many coyotes away.

 

[dhcubcadet]

Quote:
Yah when i realy think about it, the feed might be the problem. I don't know if i could get 22% gamebird feed at my local feed stop, they only supply farm yard animal feed. So if i get the 22% gamebird feed mix can i still mix it in with the rest of there feed. Do you fellas have wild turkeies or partridge at your place?

 

[Kittymomma]

You can mix the gamebird feed with the other stuff, though I would cut out the scratch corn and only give that as a treat, not mixed into their regular feed. No wild birds partaking of the feed here. There are a few around though not as many as there used to be before the coyote explosion a couple of years ago. If you can't get gamebird your feed store might cary flockraiser or even turkey feed, those are both 20+% protein feeds and should help bring your overall protein levels up.