MY CHICKENS ARE KILLING EACH OTHER!!

[fshinggrl]

It really sounds like they are getting killed/eaten by a predator.. coon maybe. Good luck.

 

[KameyRae]

Once I bought 6 baby chicks 2 days old and had them all in a cage under a heat light, one day when they got to about 5 weeks I noticed blood on one of the chickens. The others child had pecked her back till there were feathers missing & blood. I noticed blood on some of the other chicks beaks. We ended up separating the hurt chick until she was fully healed & they never picked on her again

 

[HunterUSArmy]

I hope it is a predator honestly I can take care of it but if they are eating each other idk what to do in that situation cause my flock is getting thin now

 

[KameyRae]

So maybe try separating your chickens if you really don't think it's a outside predator

 

[HunterUSArmy]

i guess i can try that somehow ill figure it out i hope..i would just hate to have to start all over with my flock

 

[BayBay Peepers]

One step at a time. It'll get figured out I know its frustrating.

 

[KameyRae]

You could also try sanitone, it's an oily antibiotic type thing. Rubbing it on your chickens keeps the other ones from wanting to peck them because it's smelly & has an awful taste. Vinegar also works

 

[tmyers968]

My chickens have never displayed this behavior. Something is definitley wrong. You might have a predator. I have two ages of chickens, 1.5yrs and 22wks. They all sleep in their nesting boxes. I hope you figure it out soon.

 

[HunterUSArmy]

I might try the salitone! It's blowing my mind how a predators getting in tho if he is

 

[1muttsfan]

Smaller predators such as weasels can enter through chicken wire, and squeeze through amazing small cracks. You might try having someone shine a flashlight around in the coop after dark, from outside you may be able to identify gaps in your defenses. Also, hardware cloth is best at the bottom of fences (and covering windows and doors) - not sure how small the openings at the bottom of your fence?

If the weather is hot and your chickens are still sleeping bunched together for comfort, you may have them smothering - as said above, place them on the perch after dark to encourage them to start roosting. Good luck.