murderous hens

[lablvr2]

Hi everyone, this is my first post and I need help. I have RRR and Golden Comets that have been doing great for a year now. However, just two days ago my husband came home from work to find one of them near death in the pen. The others were pecking at her and pulling feathers out; he tried to save her but was unsuccessful. Just yesterday he came home to the same thing but was in time to save the hen.
Any ideas on what could be wrong? Some of them seem to be molting (or something) but otherwise seem in good health; they are eating and drinking well and laying eggs daily. HELP!!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh MY! That's terrible! i'm so sorry. i've never had that happen, so don't know what to say. Hopefully someone will come along quickly to give you some advice.

 

[ChickenToes]

Chickens will peck at each other for no reason, and it seems like once they start, they won't stop. I had an EE get pecked badly, and I isolated her for about a week. When I tried to put her back in with the others, they attacked her within 10 seconds. So now she's our garage chicken.

I would suggest isolating the one that's being pecked, and once she heals try to reintroduce her. We were able to reintroduce a roo that had gotten pecked, so all hope is not lost!

 

[LuannKeller]

It sounds like cannabalism - there are nutritional needs that can cause it and other issues. It may be just one bad girl. Once one bad girl starts the blood flow, others will join. I would be keeping my eye on them to see who is starting the trouble. So sorry.

 

[silkhope]

I was thinking nutritional as well. My neighbor's hens did this to two specific hens only, bloodied them pretty good. She gave them cabbage and something else and it stopped.

Good luck. Sounds horrific.

 

[rooster-red]

IF they are molting they need extra protein to help with feather production, if they don't get it they will pluck and eat feathers and sometimes eat each other.

Are you supplimenting their protein intake?

 

[mcfarlandteresa]

This sounds like my problem. I have a rooster that I have had to isolate. Everytime I try to let him out the other 4 roosters come a runnin and chase him down till they catch him. They even sit outside of his pen. They are like stalkers! Anyone have any advice on this and what to do?

 

[lablvr2]

Thanks for the replies. We have been letting them out into the yard for the past two days and started them on vitamins. So far so good.