HOLY CRAP is this normal?

[fernandez0067]

Ok so I just went out to the coop area to check on my chickens and I walked in the coop and my favorite RIR named "ladybird" was standing on one of the high perches all puffed out wings spread kinda with a STONE COLD stare.

it was very quiet for a minute and then all of a sudden............ SPLAT

egg on the floor! All of the other chickens came running and devoured it in a matter of seconds...


what the heck is going on today.... is this normal?

I had to seperate one of my other RIR's this morning because she was attacking one of my golden comets and wouldnt let up until there was blood! this is so strange... its like the twilight zone up here in NY

 

[mrsengeseth]

sounds pretty normal. give the girls something else to be interested in to peck at and work out some aggression, it might help. might not.

a flock block, a head of cabbage to peck...stuff like that might help. If it's hot where you are, freeze some sunflower seeds or somehting your girls like...mung bean sprounts...into a block of ice and let them peck that to pieces. will help pecking desire as well as cool them off.

Of course this is all said assuming thye aren't picking at each other for health reasons.

 

[fernandez0067]

its has been an ongoing saga with my flock.

we started with 27 chickens.... 7 of them were roosters
TOTAL CHAOS

finally we got rid of the roosters and it calmed down for a while but now they are all crazy

we have a huge run and just fenced in a large area

i give them sunflower seeds, lettuce, oatmeal, EVERYTHING

they have layer available at allt imes

im ready to rip my hair out

 

[fernandez0067]

OH AND.... they have been treated for lice and mites for about a month now...
i thought maybe thats why they didnt have feathers until i saw the vicious attack going on this morning

 

[Wifezilla]

How much protein are they getting? Not enough protein can lead to feather picking.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I kinda thought that too, especially with all the treats they're getting. I think de-hulled sunflower seeds have decent levels of protein, but too many of most treats will dilute the protein in the feed.

 

[fernandez0067]

hrm....

so maybe its TOO many treats??????

 

[fernandez0067]

i give them yogurt all the time though too... and its greek yogurt so its loaded with protein

 

[RevaVirginia]

Yeah, it's normal. Probably couldn't find a handful of folks without at least some chunks of their hair missing.

 

[fernandez0067]

so do you suggest i do? cut down on the treats?