My hens are Pecking each other. Is it Diet or being spooked?

[sixbirdintheyard]

I have 6 hens that we keep in a coop in the backyard. 3 leghorns, 1 welsummer, 1 black sexlink and 1 ameracauna. It's very rare that they peck at each other. We feed them a 16% protein diet from IFA. Well my 3rd grader decided to do a science project with the chickens to see if their eggs would get bigger when they were feed peanuts. They were fine the first week and yes the eggs did get bigger but yesterday the hens were fighting and pecking. I found that one was bleeding and I caught one leghorn pecking and jumping up on the ameracauna(my 6 year olds hen). I let them out in the yard for a while thinking that they just needed some space and distraction. But, when I returned them to the coop the leghorn was at it again. So, I left them out the rest of the evening. I checked on them in the henhouse later and they were sleeping fine. One other thing was happening last night, we had a big wind storm so I wondered if it was the storm spooking them or the increase of protein in their diet. We would like to finish the science project but not if it is making them mean. (we would have )Today I did not give them peanuts and the wind is not blowing and they are doing fine, no pecking. Anyone have any thoughts? Is it the diet or the storm?

 

[NonnasBabies]

Did you stop giving them their feed and just started giving them peanuts???

Missi

ETA:

 

[bigstack]

chickens don't like change. So it could be the p nuts. Then again it could be the wind causing nervousness. It's really hard to say! If it continues with out the wind I would say its definately the increased protien. Sounds really strange!

Good luck and God Bless!

 

[sixbirdintheyard]

We gave them 5 ounces peanuts and 30 ounces feed. They would eat the peanuts first though and the last couple of days they have only been eating 10 to 12 ounces feed. We do let them out in the yard so they are eating bugs and grass also. Yes, this is not a perfect science fair project we are not weighing the grass and bugs they eat. I think they were choosing the peanuts over the feed and eating to much peanuts. At least the last few days.

 

[sixbirdintheyard]

We went back to regular protein amounts and the chickens are happy and content again.