I GIVE UP .....

[Crazy4Chicks]

At first I was so excited to have chickens - thought they would be a fun and great pet.. and at first they were I loved planning the coop and building it with out much help from anyone I loved getting my very first order of fuzzy butts and watching them grow- really loved to get my very first egg..but these past few days I have been going out of my mind trying to figure out why they have been pecking each other - badly to the point of drawing blood at first I thought it was just the EE's getting pecked on but I just noticed that one of the LB's has a bleeding wound near her tail on the side.
I have checked therest and a few have bold spots were someone has been pecking on them so it will not be long till blood is drawn.

this is my first winter with them - but I have been trying to provide them with everything they need to survive cold temps. plenty of pine shavings to snuggle in..fresh water..layer feed..cracked corn..treats..oatmeal..cat food for protien..
the coop measures 8' x 8' ( sounds small but when all the chickens are in there they are not crowded ) have two perches big enough for everyone.. they have a huge run with plenty of room for everyone to move around.

I feel like I just want to quit and rehome them all - I can use the yard for the dogs and the coop will make a huge dog house.

what am I missing ?? what more do they need ??
I really just want to cry and give up I feel like a terrible chicken mom to have so many problems in the flock

Julie

 

[robbobbin]

Are they cooped all the time or do you allow them out into the yard?
Perhaps they are bored-if indeed they are cooped all day. If they are only cooped at night and they still pick-I'll have to think on that one.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

they are never cooped during the day - they have free access to the coop and the chicken yard I also put in a few really large tree branches that fell during a storm and they climb all over them the banty roo thinks it is a great place to watch his girls from.

Julie

 

[hcammack]

I would guess get some blue kote and try that is this doesent work you could try cutting numbers down.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I wish I knew what to tell you...I have 26 standards and have never had a problem.....some days when its nasty or zero I don't even open my coop up for them to get out in the runs.....mine can't free range unless I'm out there with them...

 

[nccatnip]

I am not familiar with the temperments of those breeds- I know some do better confined than others. Could that be it? Could you just have some cranky breeds?

 

[SHELLY]

Do you know who is doing the most pecking? I had a meanie that pecked on everybody. I moved her and all settled down.

I hope you don't really give up. I hope you find a solution and continue to enjoy this part of your life. My chickens are my therapy.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

from what I can tell the EE's are the worst peckers and the worst pecked on only one of the LB's that I can tell has a bloody spot - but all the birds are doing alittle pecking on everyone so I dont think removing just one or two would work. I have put an ad up at the feed store - offering a few of the birds for sell ( did that on monday - no calls yet I am only asking 5.00 a bird did not thik that was to much ) If no-one calls this weekend I will run an ad and give them away free.
I will most likely keep 1-2 from each breed and keep my two little bantys. I dont know if the breeds I have are "mean" breeds I has never heard anyone say they were- every thing I have read about LB and SLC sounds all positive and everyone says great things about the ones they have.
I dont really want to give up but I am just so lost as to what to do for them.
There are 17 chickens ( 15 standard girls 1 banty ) and 1 banty roo.

If anyone on BYC is close enough to me and would like a few birds please let me know.

Julie

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I'm sorry you are having a hard time.

To me it sounds like you are doing everything you can. Sometimes you just get "cranky" birds that have a bee in their bonnet for no apparent reason. If you can find the offender, she may just have to go into a different flock.

I had a problem with a Polish roo that was always getting picked at, I couldn't pinpoint the offender (it seemed to be everyone), so I sold him and no one else was getting pecked at after he was gone. Maybe he was just a "weak" or shy bird and the other birds took advantage of that.

My RIR, Hazel was a naughty girl in her former flock, giving her family all sorts of problems. There really didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Maybe she was just "hatched a bully", or because she didn't live with a roo there was no one to put her in her place, but when she came into my flock, she did a complete 180. She is sweet, gets along with everyone and no longer is a feather picker. Maybe the roo put her in her place or maybe my girls just don't take any bull. All I know is that a different flock can change a bird.

Anyhoo....
My advice would be to watch them closely and find the worst offender and remove that bird. A "time out" for a few days might even work. Or if it seems that everyone is doing the picking on one or two particular birds, remove those birds and see what happens.
Don't give up!! It doesn't make you a bad chicken Mom because you have some naughties in your flock.

 

[SHELLY]

Julie,
Ok, they have about 3 1/2 sq ft coop space per bird, outside access, plenty of water and nice snacks. Now, all of a sudden (you said past few days) they are picking each other. What has changed?


You haven't added any new birds, right? How old are your hens? Have you tried hanging a mesh bag of raw meat in the run for them to peck at? Sounds kind of gross, but they will actually like it. It will give them something to peck, they won't be bored and will divert their attention from each other. Just remove it at the end of the day to avoid odors and predators.

If you really feel the need to downsize, that's ok too. I'm in Missouri and probably to far to help. Good luck.