I don’t know what’s going on!

[sekeyslaks]

Ok backstory I have a flock of 30+ pullets that have been randomly or daily attacked by the unknown for several weeks now.It started off innocently at first just bare backs in the beginning that I thought was being caused by the hens cause they were laying their first eggs at the time and competing for nest boxes.The attacks happen at night,it starts in a pattern:bare backs then red bare back then gory open wound on back! And after each attack I come back to find no trace of a entry way into the coop,my golden laced hens with bloody beaks and a hen so horribly injured I have to separate them. I have treated the 3 hens that are already injured and have separated them from the rest.The golden laced were put in a cull pen.I have tried to trap it before but I haven’t managed to have any luck.Cannabilistic hens or a predator I don’t know all I know is that I have to figure this out soon because in a few weeks my babies will be old enough to join the flock.

 

[tripletfeb]

How big is the coop/run? Chickens that are bored or cramped often result to pecking each other. If the golden laced pullets have bloody beaks, then you know who is doing the pecking. Keep them seperated, see if the other chickens get better or get worse. Depending on that will tell you how to proceed. And what are you feeding including treats?

 

[sekeyslaks]

How big is the coop/run? Chickens that are bored or cramped often result to pecking each other. If the golden laced pullets have bloody beaks, then you know who is doing the pecking. Keep them seperated, see if the other chickens get better or get worse. Depending on that will tell you how to proceed. And what are you feeding including treats?

I don’t know the dimensions of my pen but I know it is small for them I have been choosing which hens to move out to my older hens for that reason for weeks now!My list isn’t complete yet though. I feed them Layena 16% pellets with Manna Pro Omega Egg maker with grit and oyster shell.I also give them Quik Chik vitamins in their water periodically.And of course veggie scraps from my family.These chickens should not be bored I let them outside their coop every day for hours!

 

[tripletfeb]

It's those hours when they aren't out of the coop that they are pecking each other. Fighting for the best roost spots or nesting boxes. You really need to figure out who to move out because once a chicken sees blood, they can be relentless. You could also switch their food to a higher protein one, an all flock or feather fixer would be good. And since you already give them oyster shell on the side, they will keep laying strong eggs. The higher protein food will help them grow new feathers too

 

[cmom]

if you have one, put up a camera then you probably be able to find out what's going on. I would give them a higher protein feed because their feathers are primarily made from protein, something like All Flock or Flock Raiser. Good luck...

 

[sekeyslaks]

It's those hours when they aren't out of the coop that they are pecking each other. Fighting for the best roost spots or nesting boxes. You really need to figure out who to move out because once a chicken sees blood, they can be relentless. You could also switch their food to a higher protein one, an all flock or feather fixer would be good. And since you already give them oyster shell on the side, they will keep laying strong eggs. The higher protein food will help them grow new feathers too

Thanks as soon as their old food is done i’ll Switch their feed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks as soon as their old food is done i’ll Switch their feed.

You really don't have time to wait if they're causing all this damage to one another. Switch now. And expand your set up ASAP. 30 birds should have a rough minimum 120 sq ft in coop, 30 linear ft in roost, and 300 sq ft in run space.

You don't have room to add more babies to this group. You'll need a new set up for the chicks you're adding.

 

[aart]

I have a flock of 30+ pullets

How old are they, in weeks or months?

I don’t know the dimensions of my pen but I know it is small

Take your tape measure and camera out there, then post the data here.

 

[sekeyslaks]

You really don't have time to wait if they're causing all this damage to one another. Switch now. And expand your set up ASAP. 30 birds should have a rough minimum 120 sq ft in coop, 30 linear ft in roost, and 300 sq ft in run space.

You don't have room to add more babies to this group. You'll need a new set up for the chicks you're adding.

Sorry but I am not going to order more food if there is nowhere to put it.The old food needs to be out of our feed bins.You’ll just have to make peace with that fact.Don’t ever attempt to order me around.My set up is equivalent to a concrete slab attached to a cheap barn.It would be very expensive and time consuming(which as YOU said they don’t have time for?) to expand it which is impossible because we don’t have a lot of level ground.The pens are almost rectangles and their dimensions for each one are 143-145Length(which I wonder if I got wrong cause I measured from the side) and 136 Width?I measured on my own.hard to keep the tape still.And their run is the outdoors.

 

[Tonyroo]

Also make sure your not having rodents getting in the coop, they will eat a chicken while there sleeping.