How to manage bullying/head pecking?

[JennieMae]

I am at my wits end. I know the pecking order is a legit thing, but come on! I have 8 chickens. 4 from my original flock and 4 we added a year ago. Our set up is a good sized chicken coop and a large 2 “roomed” run. There is more than ample room for all 8.

I have one chicken in particular who’s back of her head and neck gets pecked bald by the others to the point of bleeding. We tried bluekote, but that did not stop them. We pulled her and another chicken (mild temperament) and put them in the back “room” of the run by themselves (could still see others, separated by hardware cloth). 4 weeks go by, her head heals. In the meantime, a different chicken is getting her head pecked. Next step: reintegrated the 2 in the back and put who we suspect are the two biggest bullies in the back area. It has been 1 day, and already the original picked on chicken already has feathers missing again!!! I’m especially bummed as I thought the 2 main instigators were in the back!!!

Do I just stop trying to manage the behavior and have everyone in all the areas and it is what it is? Do I put the mild hen and the pecked one back in the back to keep them safe? Is there another way?

I do think they all need to be in the main coop come winter because we get pretty cold here.

 

[sourland]

Do an on site search on 'Pin Less Peepers' they can stop the problem, and frequently once the habit has been broken they can be removed.

 

[JennieMae]

Do an on site search on 'Pin Less Peepers' they can stop the problem, and frequently once the habit has been broken they can be removed.

Do I just put them on everyone?

 

[Mrs. K]

I think I would, and get the whole thing stopped.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
The pinless peepers are meant for this, and should work.
Identify the feather picking bird or birds and remove them, either for about two weeks out of sight of the flock, or rehome her to another flock (with full disclosure) where she will have to work up the pecking order, and may not be a problem.
Diet and boredom can both be issues here; what are they eating? Free range time?
Some birds are just miserable feather picking beasts, better gone. I found production reds to be like that, and don't have them any more.
Mary

 

[aart]

Our set up is a good sized chicken coop and a large 2 “roomed” run. There is more than ample room for all 8.

Feet by feet would tell us more that "ample", "good sized", and "large".
Dimensions and pics always help immensely.

Ditto on the diet aspect.
What all and how exactly are you feeding?

When did the pecking start?
Is the bloodied bird a new one or older one?

 

[JennieMae]

Our coop is sold as one that houses 12 chickens, and we have 8 in it. Our run is 160 square feet (double the minimum recommendation for 8 chickens).

They are getting layer pellets with calcium, scratch, fresh fruit/veggies 2x a week.

The bloodied bird is a part of the 4 chickens that were added over a year ago after a quarantine and long introduction through wire to the 4 existing birds. Initially all was fine. Head pecking started in late spring. I don’t see much of the behavior during the day— I think it is occurring in the coop at night. It seems to be different chickens doing it since I separated the ones I thought were responsible and it is persisting.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Our coop is sold as one that houses 12 chickens, and we have 8 in it.

I think it is occurring in the coop at night.

My guess is the coop is smaller than you think, and it's causing some strife either before bed or in the morning before they're let out (assuming they get locked in). Can you get actual measurements or a photo with some size reference?

 

[JennieMae]

Our coop is 4x6; there are 2 roost bars, but they all fit on one. They are never locked in as we built the run we attached to be bomb proof.

 

[Folly's place]

The maximum number of standard chickens most of us would have there would be six. The added run space makes a big difference, giving a larger flock much more room. For winter, use doubled rolled plastic wrap, or something, to close the north, west, east, and part of the south sides of the open area, so it's all coop.
Meanwhile, maybe the pinless peepers, or remove a couple of hens who aren't ever partially bald.
Mary