My Australorps are Total Pains!

[MizAmberLea]

The title says it all.
I’ve got two fat sisters and 14 bald rescues... all of them are mean ruthless bullies.
Seriously, they chase every other chicken in the coop - even their own kind - and PECK PECK PECK.
The baldies are so lovingly named as such because of neglect and rooster damage (and why they were rescued) but I fear they will never heal because they constantly pick and peck.


For the Baldies I’m using Blu-Kote on their backs, bellies, and bums and Pick-No-More on their necks. Who knows if it will work, like I stated before they are ruthless. They did show signs of regrowth last week then BAM. Naked again.
(No mites, lice, ants, or flies by the way).

However, I don’t know what to put on all of my full feathered girls to prohibit the Aussies from doing what they do.
Any suggestions?

 

[keesmom]

What are you feeding them? But more importantly how much space (coop and run dimensions) do they have?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Increase the amount of space that each bird has by either moving some of the birds to a different coop or by expanding your current setup.

 

[CannedMonster]

They may not have been getting sufficient protein and nutrition at their previous home leading to feather picking and eating.
I’d give them a minimum of 20% protein feed and more space and multiple feed/water stations.

 

[21hens-incharge]

How was introduction handled?
Are there other birds existing in the original flock?

If the newcomers were just plunked into the Aussies space with no quarantine/chance to heal of course there would be reactions.

I would remove the naked birds to another coop or even temporary hoop run so they can heal. Then reintroduce using the see but no touch method.

New feather growth is often a trigger for pecking too. You may need to order pinless peepers for everyone.

 

[MizAmberLea]

The baldies were quarantined when we rescued them-mind you we weren’t supposed to have them all. There were 40 to be saved amongst a group of eager chicken lovers- we wound up with 14 after some of the others saw how bad off they were. We were only supposed to take 5.


Our Coop and Run combined is 500 sqft. 2 levels, so close to 1000 total.

We feed them chick starter/grower with layer crumbles mixed 2:1. We allow them full access to black oil sunflower seeds. We feed wet cat food every other day, dried mealworms every day (it’s like their crack), yogurt once a week.

 

[MizAmberLea]

We treated them again this evening with Blu-Kote and Pick-No-More.
As I stated on another post-these chickens were obviously not handled often. I’ve never experienced hens so freaking strong...

We have two Aussies in our home flock, they are assy as well. Just their nature, from what I’ve read.

 

[ChickenyChickeny]

put the bullied chickens in their own area/run

 

[drumstick diva]

maybe put some things to amuse them - distract them from pecking. Try hanging a head of cabbage just above their heads, so they have to jump for it. Maybe put some real tree branches in the run to use as roosts. Shake up their life style a bit, to get them out of their feather picking ideas. Get dog kong toys, put peanut butter or some goody in the openings - the chickens have to work them out. Some chickens learn to love a "chicken swing," and learn how to operate it.

 

[MizAmberLea]

put the bullied chickens in their own area/run

That would equate to a separate coop for every bird.