Intense Pecking

[Pelephant]

Hello! I'm new to the forum and new to chicken raising. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me three of her young chickens because she wasn't able to keep that many. Anyway, they're around three months old and really cute. Although I can't tell their sexes yet, I know that one's a RIR, one's a Buff Orpington, and the last one is an Ameracauna.

So, when I received them the RIR already a small bald patch next to his tail, because apparently the other birds were picking on him. However of the past few weeks, the pecking has become extreme, to the point that both the top part of his tail and his underside are completely bald. They continue to peck him until he bleeds, and its really horrible. It's mainly the Ameracauna that picks on him, but the Orpington sometimes joins in once and a while. I've separated them for almost two weeks, but several nights ago the other ones discovered that they could fly over the 5 feet fence and bit him that night the worse they've ever done. Nowadays, they don't peck him as intensely, I still keep them separated with he fence, and at night the orpington and ameracuana fly over so that the can sleep together. I've read other posts that say to use pine tar, but I can't find it in any stores. Any suggestions?

P.S. Is it normal for chickens to chase and eat flies?

 

[debilorrah]

First of all, keeping them seperate is the thing to do. And can't those chickens fly!!!!! Yikes. And yes, it's normal for them to chase and eat flies. That made me laugh!!!

 

[gritsar]

You won't find pine tar in the chicken section. Try looking in the equine (horse) section of farmer's co-ops, tractor supply stores, and the like.
When I asked for it at the co-op they told me they didn't have it. I looked around and found it in there. It comes in a can that looks like a small paint can.