I'm losing one chicken a week..I need advice.

[chickenangravy]

I started with 19 chickens and now I'm down to 12. they are being pecked to death one at a time. they start pecking their rear end ..then it gets bloody..then they all get on her. I don't know how to stop this..any info would be appreciated greatly. thanks in advance

 

[HbbyFrmGrl]

As soon as you notice a chicken getting pecked like that you should remove them from the flock and give them time to heal. Did you get them all as chicks of full grown chickens? What kind of chickins are they? What does your coop look like? DO they free range?

 

[Lescas5795]

There are probably others who know more than I do on this I have never had this happen but I have read about it. Usually there is one mean chicken that is starting it and the others are joining in. Find the one who is starting it even if you have to sit there and watch for hours. Take that chicken and isolate it and see if it happens anymore. If not you will know who the offender is. If you don't do anything that chicken will teach the others in time to do it on their own. It can destroy an entire flock with that type of behavior. It's called cannibalism. The same goes for egg eaters, you need to get the one that is eating the eggs so that it doesn't teach the others.
Hope things go okay!

 

[Lescas5795]

Oh and yes, take any injured birds out. Once the others see blood they will keep pecking until death.

 

[chickenangravy]

I got them all as chicks . I have Rhode island reds, golden comets and red sexlinks. my coop us 8x8 and is off the ground. I haven't completed the run yet and I'm to "chicken" to let them free range. I didn't have a problem until they started laying.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

The biggest cause of bullying is overcrowding. 19 shut in an 8 by 8 seems really tight to me. You need to make sure they have lots of space to wander, roost and nest.

If ever you see blood you need to isolate that bird right away. The flocks instinct is to kill an injured bird. Agree with seeing if you have one bully that either needs to be reintroduced or culled but they likely need a run or this will continue. Why are you afraid to free range?

 

[Mehjr10]

They need to get out and stretch their legs, over crowding and and boredom leads to feather picking, then once the blood starts showing they will all join in. Try some bluecoat on the wounds to heal and it tastes bad. Higher protein food can also help in some cases. Watch the flock and see if you have one main instigator and separate if possible to see if that solves the problem. Do you have oyster shell out?

 

[chasechicks]

When chickens taste any other chickens blood it will kill it. No idea why. Maybe natural instincts.

 

[chickenangravy]

I agree.. 19 is a bit to many . I ended up with more than I intended. the main reason for not letting them out us that I have a lot of predators..especially coyotes around the house. I'm working on a 25x25 run but don't have it completed yet..I should probably take my chances though and let them range..it bothers me to keep them cooped inside so much.

 

[Mehjr10]

Try letting them out some 1-2 hours before dark where they can be monitored, they should go back home to roost before dark and do so on their own without herding them after a day or so. Letting them out the first time the probably will not venture too far, but will venture further as they get more comfortable. But the preds like that last bit before dark falls, so watch them if they are abundant.

Hope it helps