More chickens injured/pecked/bleeding. Need help

[pippi_smiles]

Well it's been over a month since my rooster was injured. Now some of the hens have injuries too. After talking to someone at TSC, we bought a flock block and blu-kote. Although it is not blue its bright purple. I sprayed it on everyone with boo boos and hoping for the best. I can't separate them all. I only have one dog crate. I'm considering buying "pinless peepers" for all 15 girls and 2 boys. Anyone ever use them before? Opinions?

Heres a picture of daisy may's injuries. She is the worst

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Definitely keep the Blu-Kote on the spots. Is crowding an issue? There are several ways of keeping chickens busy and providing escape areas in the run. Do you free range?
Can you post pix of your set-up?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you give some info on how much room you have in your coop and run, and how many chickens you have? What do you feed them? Do they get outside every day to roam around? Some do use pinless peepers on chicken who habitually peck others. I have never, nor would I use them. First I would try to find out who was pecking and why. If you have a rooster, he could be doing some damage with trying to mate. Spend some time with them and at roost time when some will peck each other on the roosts for a good spot. Removing a pecker for a week or so to lower their rank sometimes can help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is an old thread about pinless peepers:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pinless-peepers-work.480929/

 

[pippi_smiles]

Can you give some info on how much room you have in your coop and run, and how many chickens you have? What do you feed them? Do they get outside every day to roam around? Some do use pinless peepers on chicken who habitually peck others. I have never, nor would I use them. First I would try to find out who was pecking and why. If you have a rooster, he could be doing some damage with trying to mate. Spend some time with them and at roost time when some will peck each other on the roosts for a good spot. Removing a pecker for a week or so to lower their rank sometimes can help.

Definitely keep the Blu-Kote on the spots. Is crowding an issue? There are several ways of keeping chickens busy and providing escape areas in the run. Do you free range?
Can you post pix of your set-up?

To many predators to let them completely free range. Here is the coop and run. Coop is 8X8 and run is approx 15X25. There are 15 hens and 2 roosters. There is more pics on my profile

 

[pippi_smiles]

Can you give some info on how much room you have in your coop and run, and how many chickens you have? What do you feed them? Do they get outside every day to roam around? Some do use pinless peepers on chicken who habitually peck others. I have never, nor would I use them. First I would try to find out who was pecking and why. If you have a rooster, he could be doing some damage with trying to mate. Spend some time with them and at roost time when some will peck each other on the roosts for a good spot. Removing a pecker for a week or so to lower their rank sometimes can help.

They eat organic layer pellets from TSC. There are 15 hens and 2 roosters. Coop is 8X8 and inside the run, which is about 15X25. There are more pics on my profile.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most sources recommend 4 square feet per chicken inside the coop. Some breeds can be more agressive than other meek ones. When I was breeding and growing my flock, I did rehome some beautiful gold and silver wyandottes who were bullies.

My farm is surrounded with wooded area, and there are hawks, raccoons, foxes, a rare bob cat this year, and coyotes around, but my chickens love to get out and roam around every day. I wouldn’t deprive them of that. During this cold winter weather they kind of come out briefly, and go back inside the coop. We have lost a few bantams to a hawk or feral cat, over the last 8.5 years of chickens, but we have been diligent about keeping them locked up at dusk, and letting them out at a reasonable hour in the mornings.

Putting up some forms of entertainment, such as stumps or logs to climb on, a big plug of sod and grass to peck, a nice dust bathing area, a swing, or some hanging vegetables to peck might prevent boredom.

 

[coach723]

Minimum recommendations for space are 4 sq.ft. in the coop and 10 sq. feet in the run per bird. But those are minimums and the actual behavior of the flock is what really determines it. With two roo's I think you need more space. They need to be able to get away from each other, and the hens need room to get away from them. Your pictures look like the injuries are to the shoulder area, so that would make me suspect a roo during mounting. Are their spurs long and sharp? The one looks like it could be a spur wound. A spur trimming may be in order. And some places they can hide without being cornered. I have two roo's and they would fight like crazy if they were confined to a space that small all the time.

 

[pippi_smiles]

Minimum recommendations for space are 4 sq.ft. in the coop and 10 sq. feet in the run per bird. But those are minimums and the actual behavior of the flock is what really determines it. With two roo's I think you need more space. They need to be able to get away from each other, and the hens need room to get away from them. Your pictures look like the injuries are to the shoulder area, so that would make me suspect a roo during mounting. Are their spurs long and sharp? The one looks like it could be a spur wound. A spur trimming may be in order. And some places they can hide without being cornered. I have two roo's and they would fight like crazy if they were confined to a space that small all the time.

Neither roo has spurs yet, just knubs. I thought it might be from mounting too, but the larger roo (Gilbert) has an injury in the same spot as Daisy May. Just under the wing area toward the back. I've caught some of the hens pecking at his. And they don't forget after it has healed. They just peck it back open again. I'm hoping not to have to separate. We want to attach chunnels to the garden this spring. (if they can get along until then) Then they will have more area to scratch.

 

[pippi_smiles]

Most sources recommend 4 square feet per chicken inside the coop. Some breeds can be more agressive than other meek ones. When I was breeding and growing my flock, I did rehome some beautiful gold and silver wyandottes who were bullies.

My farm is surrounded with wooded area, and there are hawks, raccoons, foxes, a rare bob cat this year, and coyotes around, but my chickens love to get out and roam around every day. I wouldn’t deprive them of that. During this cold winter weather they kind of come out briefly, and go back inside the coop. We have lost a few bantams to a hawk or feral cat, over the last 8.5 years of chickens, but we have been diligent about keeping them locked up at dusk, and letting them out at a reasonable hour in the mornings.

Putting up some forms of entertainment, such as stumps or logs to climb on, a big plug of sod and grass to peck, a nice dust bathing area, a swing, or some hanging vegetables to peck might prevent boredom.

Wish I could let them out. Two hawks sit right over their run and scare them everyday. And we have caught a fox and a coyote on the trail cam.Planning on building chunnels in the garden come spring. They have a sandbox, stump, and jungle jim in the run. My husband picked up a "flock block" today. Will try to make a swings tomorrow. Thanks for the input. I want to try the "peepers" but they look like they may be painful