Jerk chicken-- and not the good kind

[New2theFlock]

About half my flock are complete jerks-- four of eight are pecking at the others constantly, pulling out feathers, and oinking up all the food. They are all the same breed so it took a while to figure out the culprits until I applied some common sense: the fat chickens with all their feathers are the bullies. All the others are skinny and missing many feathers.

Pecking order is one thing, but this is ridiculous. Questions for the group:
- I am currently caring for a sick chicken in a chicken hospital that stays in the covered part of the run. Is this making it worse? She's starting to get better, so I let her out into the garden, etc. She sleeps with the flock which seems to workout fine.
- They have plenty of space per bird, ample access to food and water. Anything else environmental that could be causing a problem?
- This morning we've put the four bullies in chicken time out in the West Wing (farthest part of the run). How long to keep them in?
- Note that Pecky (top of the pecking order) is not with the bullies. She is queen bee but doesn't bother the others. Is that unusual?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Feather picking is usually from lack of protien but once they start they never stop

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What percentage is the protein in their feed?

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, what are they eating? How many feeders and waterers in separate areas? And how many birds? Also, that chicken wire isn't a predator deterrent at all!
If management/ food changes aren't helpful, move the offending hens on elsewhere.
Mary

 

[Shadrach]

- I am currently caring for a sick chicken in a chicken hospital that stays in the covered part of the run. Is this making it worse? She's starting to get better, so I let her out into the garden, etc. She sleeps with the flock which seems to workout fine.

Ime experience chicken tend to recover faster if one can keep them with the rest. Sometimes this can be inconvenient when trying to treat and medicate but worth it in the long run.

- They have plenty of space per bird, ample access to food and water. Anything else environmental that could be causing a problem?

How much space per bird exactly.

- Note that Pecky (top of the pecking order) is not with the bullies. She is queen bee but doesn't bother the others. Is that unusual?

The hen at the top of the so called pecking order rarely does the enforcement much like with humans. The leave all that to the lower orders who compete for the higher positions under the boss.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters for many things.

- They have plenty of space per bird, ample access to food and water. Anything else environmental that could be causing a problem?

What are the actual dimensions of the coop and run?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

8 hens

• 32 square feet in the coop. 4'x8' is approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle. 6'x6' should be walk-in because even the tallest chicken-keeper won't be able to reach the far wall.
• 8 feet of roost
• 80 square feet in the run. 8'x10' is a nice looking number but, remembering the common dimensions of lumber, a roomier 8'x12' is actually easier to build. 6'x14' looks good on paper but would require a lot of weird cuts.
• 8 square feet of ventilation.
• 2-3 nest boxes.

These numbers are *guidelines*, not hard-and-fast *rules* and at, under, or over them doesn't *guarantee* either trouble or being trouble-free, but even moderate crowding increases the likelihood of social problems.

I see in the photos that your run doesn't have much "clutter": https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Clutter is important because subordinate chickens show that they accept their superiors' dominance by getting out of the way -- breaking line of sight and giving the top birds their space free and clear.

Also, how many feeding and watering stations do you have? Is it possible for a bird at one feeder/waterer to see the other feeder/waterer and thus guard the resources?

That said, as has been noted above, sometimes feather-picking is improved by switching to a higher-protein feed.

 

[New2theFlock]

Yes, what are they eating? How many feeders and waterers in separate areas? And how many birds? Also, that chicken wire isn't a predator deterrent at all!
If management/ food changes aren't helpful, move the offending hens on elsewhere.
Mary

1 waterer w 3 nipples. made from home depot bucket. We add a second waterer on esp hot days.

1 gravity feeder w two openings where they eat.

Oh no. Is that not enough?

They've been eating eggmaker15 pellets w oyster shell that we mix in. Also we give fresh vege and fruit snacks at least every other day.

 

[3KillerBs]

1 waterer w 3 nipples. made from home depot bucket. We add a second waterer on esp hot days.

1 gravity feeder w two openings where they eat.

Oh no. Is that not enough?

They've been eating eggmaker15 pellets w oyster shell that we mix in. Also we give fresh vege and fruit snacks at least every other day.

When you have social/behavioral problems it's good to have multiple feed and water stations with visual blocks between them. That way the bully hens can't prevent the victims from eating.

Layer feed has minimal protein. Try switching to an all-flock feed with 18 or, preferably since you have a problem, 20% protein. Offer the oystershell on the side so that they can choose how much to eat when they need it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Since your setup has several sections perhaps you could put a feeder and a waterer in each section.

This is the shelter DH made for my run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/an-outdoor-shelter-for-the-feeder-and-waterer.76487/

 

[New2theFlock]

What percentage is the protein in their feed?

Egglayers15 crumbles