If chicks keep getting picked on?

[kris13]

So we have two jubilee orpingtons (one I posted about has scissor beak, so far, she's eating okay on that end) but in the last couple of weeks, both were getting their tail feathers picked off to the point of bleeding. We separated them so they could heal. (It's not just one chick who's doing this, we've noticed at least five or six of them going after the two.) Only thing is, once they're healed, when we put them back in, it's almost the same day they're back to bleeding / no tail feathers. They're all in the same pen / can see each other, just have a partition to keep them separated. Not sure what else to try? All the chicks are around 8-9 weeks old. We do have a setup if it continues to have them in their own little run once they're all outside if need be, but they do seem to miss the others. Pen space is ample, we have roosts, a couple mirrors and toys for the chicks too.

 

[azygous]

Please tell us how many chicks you have all together. And please tell us the dimensions of your coop and of your run.

Space is the number one problem when you are having cannibalism. The next reason is mixing aggressive breeds with docile breeds, so please tell us the breeds that you have, especially the ones who you suspect of this aggression.

Do you have Blu-kote? It's especially helpful in situations like this to disguise raw wounds while treating the wounds.

 

[kris13]

Please tell us how many chicks you have all together. And please tell us the dimensions of your coop and of your run.

Space is the number one problem when you are having cannibalism. The next reason is mixing aggressive breeds with docile breeds, so please tell us the breeds that you have, especially the ones who you suspect of this aggression.

Do you have Blu-kote? It's especially helpful in situations like this to disguise raw wounds while treating the wounds.

 

[kris13]

We have fifteen chicks in a sixty square foot pen. Plan is to move them into their coop/run after next week.

Besides the two orpingtons, we have
4 - yokohamas (so far, I have never seen them pick on anyone)
1 - white jersey giant
1 - golden laced wyandotte
1 - steele egger (meyer breed of egger)
1 - buckeye
1 - barred rock
4 - black cochins (two of these were previously picking on the wyandotte, after the cochins were separated for a time, they were put back in with no more issues. The wyandotte was actually one of the first ones going after the orpingtons)

 

[azygous]

The breeds appear to be of compatible breed temperaments, so it's likely the space problem. They could use a much larger day time space. They are approaching full size, and will be there in just another month or so, and they will require a minimum of ten square feet per bird.

It will help a lot to make the run complex with compartments and partitions and varying levels of perches. This will accommodate different temperaments and afford those who need to avoid a tormentor to find a place to be inconspicuous.

It will also help to have more than one feeding station so more timid birds can avoid the trouble makers and still get enough to eat.

Ten square feet of run space per bird is bare minimum. Twice that, and you will have a much more peaceful flock.