Many problems...Need advice....

[Big Red's Mom]

Hello...This is my first post...I have been reading others for about 6 months....You all give great information......

I have a mixed flock. Started out with 13 RR and added a mixture of others. 1 Roo and 16 hens.

Yesterday I went to check on my birds and found one dead (Cold and Stiff).

I have been treating a different bird , she has had a necked lower back and her sisters started to peck her, she was bloody. With her I have been putting triple antibotic ointment on the injury and letting her free range during the day...putting her back in the coop to lay and roost at night. ( I only have one coop ) Last night when I put the hen with the necked behind up I noticed I had another hen with a bloody behind it was really bad.....I also noticed another hen with blood on her behind just not as bad. This morning I when out to let the injured birds out to free range and have some healing time when I found that the two birds discovered the night before had a major problem. Both has a steady drip of blood......Looked very sick....My husband helped me put them down....

After inspecting the remaining flock I discovered several more birds that have been pecked on the top of the vent. Not very bad .....So now they are out free ranging until I can figure out what to do. I have heard to put vicks on them to stop the pecking....Will it hurt the birds with sores? I am sorry for the long message but I am trying to give as much info as possible. Oh my flock it about 8 months old. I live in central south Mississippi. They have been laying well until this week and the producing has gone from ave. 16 a day to about 7 a day. The weather has changed a lot here this week. (Rain, cool, hot, warm cold)
Any information would be great....Thank you again....

 

[kinnip]

Sorry. Cannibalism and picking are usually due to crowded conditions or poor nutrition. How much space do you have per bird, and what are you feeding?

 

[Cetawin]

Have you checked for mites? Do you have enough space for the girls? I am sorry you are going through this.

I would not put vicks on an open wound...it has menthol in it and will burn.

You could try blukote. Was the areas well and coat it in blu kote.

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Can you actually see the mites? I have looked and I am not sure what to look for but no bugs are found so far.

They have about 6 square foot per bird. More now with the losses.

I feed them Ware laying pellets. Some corn mixed in....not much.

A friend said feed them cat food to stop the pecking....Does this work and what kind of cat food...

Where do you find blukote? Is it for animal use only?

 

[mypicklebird]

As said above, cannibalism is usually (but not always) due to overcrowding, stress, boredom. Sometimes they will peck at vents if the nest box is too exposed and other hens can see the laying process. If you have plenty of room, nice dark boxes, adequate food, they may be bored- free ranging them will often help.

But the most important thing to do at the moment is protect the victims and ID the cannibal. It may be one bird or more than one. You might be able to see blood on the bad birds beak- but you will probably have to sit yourself down next to the coop for a few hours and watch. Anyone you see pecking someone else's bottom should be removed. The cannibal is probably one of the birds with a normal bottom.

If you can ID the bad bird, and if they is just one- the easiest thing to do is cull the cannibal. It is a rotten habit, and hard to un train them.

The best long term help is prevention- lots of space, food, and things to do (scratch for bugs, dust bathe, explore, get away from obnoxious flock mates...)

 

[Big Red's Mom]

I have several birds that peck....They are a very fussy crew of girls....
I put down corn and grit for them and add new mulch on a regular basis. I let them free range as much as possible. Which is less now that they have started to destroy all of my flower beds around the house. I turn out the Rooster several days a week to give the girls a break from him.

I did put Vicks on several that had small injuries( careful to avoid the actual sore.) and they are a little quieter today. I am going to get Pine Tar on Monday(nothing open on the weekends).

Does anyone have any advice about how to tell if they have mites?
Can you actually see them on the birds?
I have used 7dust in the coop and it keeps down most pests.
Thank yo again for any help or advice you can give.

We really enjoy our birds and want to keep them healthy.

 

[silkiechicken]

Check for mice or lice by lifting up feathers on the legs, the bum, near the tail or under the neck feathers quickly and looking. They will scurry away or be at the feather shafts. So you can see them if there are there. Seven dust should work. I used a poultry dust when I got a lice infestation.

Good luck! Hotpick might help to if bluekote doesn't do the job.

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Today was a much better day....
No one has any new bloody spots on them and the others are starting to heal. Thank you all for you advice.....