My hen is getting pecked severely

[SuburbanPixie]

My hen is getting pecked pretty badly by the other hens, and now she is bloodied at the base of her tail. What can I put on it and how do I keep the other hens from continuing this. She's the only one getting pecked.

 

[redsoxs]

The only way is to isolate her from the others until she heals up.

 

[SuburbanPixie]

is there anything I can put on her wound that will protect it?

 

[CatherineMM]

I found this tidbit here and it worked great for me when my hens were injured by a dog: turmeric! Sprinkled on generously and they healed amazingly well! Good luck with her...

 

[Michael Apple]

is there anything I can put on her wound that will protect it?

Pick-No-More lotion is what I've used with success in the past. If space is cramped or food runs low, that can encourage cannibalism. Certain breeds like Rhode Island Reds are more prone to this behavior and many would agree that inbreeding has been a problem too. Sometimes it is just one causing all the trouble and the rest follow. I've taken the offender out to the truck, heat the car cigarette lighter, and carefully burn back 1/8" of the upper beak. The bird will still eat but won't do damage pecking. It is rare, but sometimes you get a bird that is so aggressive, it has to be culled.

Like redsoxs said, separate the injured bird form the others. Give some good quality vitamin powder in the water for a few days to assist with healing. When she's healed, introduce the bird back into the flock at night when they are all roosting. Give yourself enough time to observe them for awhile the next morning when you let them out. I hope it all works out for you and your hen.

 

[SuburbanPixie]

Luckily they're pretty much free range during the day and their coop area is 4x8 feet at night and during bad weather. I'll make sure I let them out earlier from now on. I will separate her out from the others for the day time and find a way to separate her at night until she is healed up

 

[Michael Apple]

Luckily they're pretty much free range during the day and their coop area is 4x8 feet at night and during bad weather. I'll make sure I let them out earlier from now on. I will separate her out from the others for the day time and find a way to separate her at night until she is healed up

That's the thing about chickens. They need to be locked in a secure coop at dusk and let out at dawn. When I tell people that who are inquiring about getting chickens for the first time, I can tell by their reaction whether or not they should have birds. That's no swipe at you either. It is just the truth. If people like sleeping in late and taking vacations often, they shouldn't own animals.

 

[jak2002003]

My hen is getting pecked pretty badly by the other hens, and now she is bloodied at the base of her tail. What can I put on it and how do I keep the other hens from continuing this. She's the only one getting pecked.

I would take her out from the others.

keep her in her own pen until all her feathers grow back and she looks normal again. Keep this pen, or crate in the main coop or run so the other chickens can still see her.

Then put her back in once she is back to normal.

The hens will keep pecking at the wound and make it bigger. If there is no wound then they will not be tempted to peck at that area again.

 

[chooks4life]

Chooks are naturally meat eaters as well as grain/grass/fruit etc eaters. If they see redness they will often taste to see if it is food. And whaddaya know, chickens are made of food! lol. (So are we. I'd hate to get badly injured around some chooks, there would be no chance of rescue. They would eat me alive).

People generally use anything non-red to get them to stop picking at wounds. I've always tried to give them the most nutritious diet possible, so I've never had any cannibalism. I would cull any animal that showed tendencies toward it. Cannibalistic chicks are being bred who view other chicks as food due to an inherited mentality, because cannibalistic adults were bred on with. Unfortunate.
Quote: Lol, my chooks love their spices and curry is among them, which has large amounts of turmeric. They'd love that!

Quote: Ouch. They have sensitive tissues right close to the tip of the beak. I'd worry about the future health ramifications of cooking part of their bodies. Especially if it's done more than once.

Another way that works, without hurting them, is to simply use nailclippers, the human variety, to trim off the see-through tip of the beak, like you would when trimming your own nail. If you cut into a non-see-through area, it's getting into the sensitive parts. When you trim their beak down of its sharp edge, it's like a nail cut too far down, they can't apply enough force to stab without hurting themselves, but for normal eating, drinking, preening etc it's ok.

If you open a chook's beak and look inside, you will see the soft inner tissues of the roof of the mouth extend all the way to the tip, bar a short transparent edge. This can be cut off if necessary.

But really I believe this is an inherited issue in most cases and diet plays a part. I'd separate the bird, as everyone's already said, and return her when feathered up again, and remove the cannibal/s. What started them off could be as simple as seeing blood-filled feather shafts. Either way, it is likely to be repeated. Best wishes.

 

[Michael Apple]

I've always tried to give them the most nutritious diet possible, so I've never had any cannibalism. I would cull any animal that showed tendencies toward it.

All chickens have a tendency to be cannibalistic and kill the sick and weak members of the flock. That's how nature works. Lack of protein causes feather picking which is considered "cannibalistic" behavior. Pullets and cockerels will pull feathers occasionally out of their flock mates when establishing the pecking order. Crowded, stressful environments can also encourage that behavior. Some breeds exhibit this behavior more than others. In the last 30 years, I had to cull one hen that was extremely aggressive I found out later came from suspected inbred stock. So that's one out of over a hundred come and gone.

Ouch. They have sensitive tissues right close to the tip of the beak. I'd worry about the future health ramifications of cooking part of their bodies. Especially if it's done more than once.

1/8" is not too far. I've done it. The bird ate and drank within an hour of cauterizing, and it stopped the pecking. I never said do it more than once. It's much more humane than those de-beakers you see at the hatcheries.

Another way that works, without hurting them, is to simply use nailclippers, the human variety, to trim off the see-through tip of the beak, like you would when trimming your own nail. If you cut into a non-see-through area, it's getting into the sensitive parts. When you trim their beak down of its sharp edge, it's like a nail cut too far down, they can't apply enough force to stab without hurting themselves, but for normal eating, drinking, preening etc it's ok.

Again, it doesn't hurt them at 1/8". Nailclippers are cumbersome and if the bird flips it's head around, the beak can be cracked beyond repair. Many old poultrymen have used this method because it's less cumbersome and safe. The old recommendation was 1/4" and chickens still returned to normal eating, drinking, and preening behavior. I've found 1/8" is more humane.


But really I believe this is an inherited issue in most cases and diet plays a part. I'd separate the bird, as everyone's already said, and return her when feathered up again, and remove the cannibal/s. What started them off could be as simple as seeing blood-filled feather shafts. Either way, it is likely to be repeated. Best wishes.

It isn't "likely" to be repeated if the bird is reintroduced properly (at night when birds are roosting) and proper environment/diet are achieved beforehand. Like I said, having to cull one very aggressive bird out of over 100 as I have couldn't be defined as "likely". People considering getting chickens for the first time should avoid breeds known to be aggressive, make sure they provide plenty of room to range in a secure fenced area, a location free from excessive nuisance noise like loud music and machinery, good ventilation in the coop, private/darkened nesting area, and roosts spaced far apart (about 2' to avoid feather picking).