My chickens wont stop pecking each other!!!! :/

[ILoveChickensAWholeLot]

Please understand that we are not trying to be critical of you, or pick on you, we are trying to help you. You posted a question about an apparent injury to one of your hens, and we are trying to get to the cause of the problem in order to resolve the issue. But we can't do that without all the information we are asking for. Crowded conditions can lead to pecking and even cannibalism. Since you are reluctant to answer the questions about space, we can only assume that might be the problem, but we don't really know. There could be other factors. We can only help you to the extent that you are willing to share information. Good luck to you and your chickens.

Thank you and everyone else for helping, I truly do care, but unfortunately after receiving the mass amounts of people talking about space I believe that is right, and I will truly be getting rid of half of my chickens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you and everyone else for helping, I truly do care, but unfortunately after receiving the mass amounts of people talking about space I believe that is right, and I will truly be getting rid of half of my chickens.

I hope that resolves the issue for you. Best wishes!

 

[Flockincrazy]

Im not sure that more food would help, they get food scraps quite a bit and they go through they food in their feeder pretty fast

Its not so much of increasing food quantity but raising the amount of protein that you give them they need it in the colder months of they yr cut back on scraps and give them scrambled eggs instead of it

 

[NatJ]

I think she's molting, based on the tail as well as the neck.

Chickens of that age (37 weeks) sometimes do molt in their first fall/winter, and sometimes don't. So one is molting and the others aren't.

You mentioned in another thread that only some of them are laying eggs. The one who is molting is probably not laying eggs right now. The ones who are laying eggs are probably not molting.

Space can affect pecking issues, but chickens will molt when they are ready, no matter how much space you give them.

 

[swimmy44]

put bag balm on the wound where she was pecked put bag balm under the nostrils of all the hens then they will smell only the camphor not the bullied hen do this twice a day for a couple of days and give them things to do and eat like white pine branches or lots of greens

 

[cassie]

Chickens peck if they are too crowded, too hot, or if they do not get enough protein. It is helpful if they have something to peck that keeps them busy. I had a hay feeder that I kept a flake of alfalfa hay in. Other people have hung something like a head of cabbage in the coop or run. If the chickens make a wound they will keep pecking. If you spray the affected area with BluKote so it isn't red that will help.

 

[cassie]

put bag balm on the wound where she was pecked put bag balm under the nostrils of all the hens then they will smell only the camphor not the bullied hen do this twice a day for a couple of days and give them things to do and eat like white pine branches or lots of greens

I may be wrong, but I have read that birds really do not have much of a sense of smell. You might want to check on that.

 

[Finally chickens!]

You can use a xylophone
or even just food scraps (That are not moldy or made of flour)

What's the issue with flour? My hens get a lot of things with flour in them.

 

[Dhkoenig]

I feel your pain! One of our buffs (who I think used to be the head chick in charge) is all of a sudden the punching bag for the now leader! Even the other chickens seem to be giving her a hard time. Like a queen that was tossed off the throne. I feel so badly for her because they don't go around pecking her all day but they chase her away from the food or from me etc. so i have to set up a few different feeding spots so she can get some. I feel so badly for her. We have a huge run. Four chickens 10x16 foot run with lots of fun stuff to do. I think it is really a pecking order war but for some reason they want to keep her at the very bottom. I hope your situation gets better. I heard that if you put places in the run for them to hide it helps, just lean a wooden pallet up against the corner etc..so they can duck out of the way. Will they let her eat? Ugh

 

[cherrynberry]

What's the issue with flour? My hens get a lot of things with flour in them.

Its fine in small amounts, but it causes yeast infections if fed in large quantities. Basically ic can cause sour crop fast