My hens are going to kill eachother! HELP!

[sphillips]

I've posted several times prior to this about my hen's feather loss. My hens are about a year old, and about a month or so ago, I noticed they were losing feathers. I thought they may be molting, but the feather loss didn't follow the pattern. I have hens that have had bald butts for about three months, and it's now getting worse. I think I finally figured out that they are pecking each other to death. I feel like a total idiot, and feel even more awful that I should have caught this sooner. I'm sickened that it may be beyond the point of fixing. I have RIR hen that I saw 'mounting' the other hens the other day. She is vey small, and scraggly, so that probably explains the loss of feathers on the hens backs. But even that hen has feather loss. Some appear to be molting, but I spent time out in the coop today, and find that everyone if pecking everyone. One of my Wayandottes pulled a beak full of feathers out of my Leghorn this evening. I have 15 hens, 12 x 12 coop with a 360 foot outdoor run. I have been supplementing their diet with mealworms for extra protein, as well as scrambled eggs, thinking they were molting. Two parts layer crumbles to one part scratch with Omega 3/higher protein feed mixed in. I wormed the hens last month with Wazine on the advice of our feed store guy. He doesn't think there is an issue with mites or lice, it's too dry here, and I haven't seen any on my hens. Hens are now coated in Blu Kote, as everyone is getting bloody. Egg production is down about 50% for weeks now. Somebody please help me here, I'm guessing they are bored, and am going to try to fix that this weekend, but I'm at a loss, and don't know if I can fix this problem. I've always worked so hard to keep my hens healthy and happy, and now they just look terrible.

 

[Fred's Hens]

What are you feeding? What is your basic, staple feed?

 

[sphillips]

I'm feeding Purina Layena crumbles, with Layena Plus omega 3 added in. My hens don't care much for pellets so the majority of what they get is crumbles. They also have a 'flock block' available, and I give them cabbage, squash, and other vegetables as I have them available.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You mentioned the "boredom factor". What makes you think that is an issue? I am going somewhere here, LOL.

 

[sphillips]

Boredom is the only other thing I can think of, after doing a lot of reading. I had heard of it, but after ruling out enough space, plenty of food, water, and availability to those things, bugs, worms, I'm not sure there's much else. I'm just desperate to get this fixed.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

It does sound like boredom. Try a building a hen playground. Stumps of different sizes to hop onto, roosts to sit on, a flock block to peck at, or a dust bathe to clean off in. You could even hang a cabbage from string for them to jump and eat.

Hope this Helps

 

[sphillips]

Egg Collector,

I've done all these things, but am still having the problem. The hens have plenty of roosts, even outside, stumps, they get regular cabbage hung in the coop. The coop has a sand/dirt floor, and they have lots of room to dust bathe, and do so on a regular basis. Thank you for the suggestions though.

 

[centrarchid]

Mix some chick grower in with current ration to increase protein. Add some hay to coop and consider tossing some intact grain into get them interested scratching about. My guess is problem was caused by poor nutrition or crowding but can be mitigated in part by making diet a little richer and environment more complex. Make certain grit is available in the event they consume hay which I think they will.

 

[sphillips]

Centrarchid,

If it is due to poor nutrition, I feel terrible! But want to caution others who are new to this to do their own research. I took advice from someone (not on this site) who seemed to me to really know what they were doing, and I've just about wrecked my flock. The problem is not due to overcrowding, as I think the hens have plenty of room. I did have 13 more hens that I sold this summer, because I felt that may be an issue. What a mess, and it's my fault. Please people, check your sources before you just take someone's advice.

 

[centrarchid]

Your source may not have been off mark if they did not know your entire care regimen. Recommendations regarding nutrition are based on flocks raised under very controlled conditions where least-cost diets are the objective for maximizing profitability. That same information does not work well when we dilute feed with lower protein vegetables and keep birds under conditions that can actually be a little tougher on our birds, especially with respect to temperature. When you give the vegetables and the like be prepared to compensate with a higher protein feedstuff. Doing that can then help birds look and feel better than the commercial type flocks getting only one type of feed. If you do not know with certainty the nutritional requirements of the birds, then error on then high side to be safe. Also make certain they are getting adequate calcium and grit.