I GIVE UP .....

[SHELLY]

Another idea!!

A banty roo is smaller than your standard hens. Maybe what you need is a standard roo to keep those girls in line.

 

[LoneCowboy]

My girls are doing the same thing. It's very frustrating. Nothing is different now than in the summer, I think they are getting bored too. It's driving me crazy, but not to the point of giving up my birds. I'll keep messing with what I feed them and I try and I hope I'll get something that works good.

Oh, one thing we did, is had ribs one night, and gave all the bones to the girls. That worked well.

 

[s6bee]

I have never personally had this issue, but I did read somewhere that adding the red heat lamp sometimes reduces the pecking issues. Not sure if that is true, but it can't hurt.
Do they have any light in their coop?

Good luck, dont' give up.

 

[picklespickles]

I would happily drive to you for some chickens. it would be super fun to meet someone off the board, too.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

I'm so sorry you are having so many problems. Must be VERY frustrating. And.. frankly, would make me SUPER angry at them.

My question would be how old are your chickens?

About a month before mine started to lay they were HORRIBLE. Everyone picked on everyone else. We had just lost our roo, too, but hadn't had him long so don't know if that added to their irritation.

Got a new roo (he's a d'Anvers.. and they are all standard sized), and they started laying. No more pecking at all. And I do think my girls are bored.. they have a big covered run, but won't free range right now because of the snow. They seem to be ok, though. There was one girl who got chased a lot (although not pecked). After three months of her own personal h*ll I sprung her, and she's part of a new mini flock of bantams. But she seems to be the only one they had singled out (and actually they were finally leaving her alone.. but she still wasn't happy). Some birds just don't fit in, I think.

Another thing I've heard is hanging veggies or shiny objects to give them something to peck at.

Do you have food out all the time, or only at certain times? If you only feed at certain times, they have lots of time to get bored, too.

Hope that helps. Don't give up! Once the warmer weather gets here, they'll have lots of bugs and grass to munch on. I'm sure they'll do much better then.

Meghan

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

pickles come on over ! I can show you the field that is next to the house and you can give me your ideas. ( and maybe see if you can figure out my issue birds LOL ). oh course the girls will be no charge.
the girls are all the same age - 8 months - some are laying some are acting like they want to.
the only thing that has changed for them is the weather - it has been crazy one day it will be 60 outside the next windy and only 35 !!
no new birds have been added.
what kind of meat do you think would work best ? I normally dont buy alot of ground beef ( to greasy ) but we do eat alot of ground turkey.
the pecking was not a problem in the summer - it only started when the weather got cold - so I am really thinking they are bored, but I would like to downsize just a little.

My little banty roo - trys his best with the girls, and the new run I am planning is going to be for banty's only and I was planning on getting him a few more little girls, I am kinda scared of bigger roo's but if I get a chance to get one I might give it a try. maybe a bigger roo could help.
I spend alot of time out in the run - and really cant pinpoint the one/ones doing the most damage -so I am hoping that rehoming a few will help.

thanks for all the great advice I am also going to head to TS this weekend and take a look around and see if they have anything that might help.
Any ideas on what I should look for?

** adding ** I keep thier food pan filled all day - and offer treats at diff. times of the day- to try to keep them guessing when the treat lady will be there LOL they dont have a light in the coop.
Julie

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry you're having these problems, but you most likely have one or two who are the culprits, not everyone. You need to find out who those are for sure and remove them. I had horrible Delaware chicks, the Vampire Chicks, that I sold, even the pullets I was planning to keep. They were awful pluckers of the more mild-mannered birds. So, it has to be certain ones doing the damage, I would think.

 

[rooster-red]

I had a RIR who was pecking the other girls, I seprated her out for a few days then reintroduced her.
No more pecking.

 

[picklespickles]

thanks for saying to come on over. honestly i was feeling guilty at being so tickled to take the drive and not offering wonderful advice about how to make it all better.

do you need any hay? i could bring you a bale.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

would hay make for good bedding in the coop ? right now they have pine shavings.

dont feel guilty ! I would love to have another BYCer over for a cup of coffee and chicken talk. I know DH would get a kick out meeting someone " off the board " LOL might even get him more excitied about the chickens

than I could pick your brain about advice on goats !!
how do weekends look for you? sundays are our - at home - days around here.

Julie