Hi All, I've been around this forum for quite a while as I hope to start keeping my own chickens this year. In the meantime, I am caring for my neighbor's chickens while they are wintering in Arizona. They just left early this morning and yet here I am with my first problem. Of course, the problem existed before they left, but they think the issue is resolved possibly. So here it goes...
They have six hens that are badly pecked on the bottoms. The neighbor talked to her vet about it before she left and he said they were bored and to get a flock block. She did that, but I am still observing them pecking at each other while I am there feeding and tending, and boy does it look awful. No blood that I can see yet, just swollen, red behinds. A few only have pink, featherless behinds, but a few more look angry, red, and swollen. They seem altogether pleasant most of the time, good dispositions, great egg layers(so far). Of the six hens, we are collecting 5 eggs every afternoon.
Here is some info that might allow you to weigh in. The coop is of a type I have seen online quite a bit. It looks like a miniature barn(4'X3' possibly) with flaps on both top sides that open up to collect eggs and clean. It's small, but with only six hens, I think it should be adequate? It's designed for that many anyway, I believe. I mention this because the vet said at first that he felt they didn't have enough room apparently. But they have 24 hour access to the run, which is quite big for that number of hens. It has a normal size door and I can stand up and walk around in it. My guess is that the run is about 15' long by about 6' wide.
I have read here and elsewhere about creams, salves, etc. I also remember some fabric type aprons. My question firstly is why might this be happening, other than boredom, and secondly what should I try first? I'm probably heading to our local ag store tomorrow for something...any suggestions? I mean, this is not going to get better, correct? One hen even looks a bit lumpy back there, so I'm hoping that she is not egg bound on top of everything else. I have yet to catch one as I have no net, and in order to do so I would have to bend down whilst running and lunging under the roosts that criss cross the run at about hip high. I will more than likely need our big fishing net to do so. I can't quarantine them as there is no one chicken being the aggressor. I might be wrong, but while I've been there, they will all take a peck at each other, EQUALLY!
Argh...I don't want these hens to die on me while in my care, they've grown on me already. We have been so completely fortunate so far this winter as we haven't had horribly low temps yet, or much snow. But it's coming. We are in NW Montana. It's inevitable. Right now they are going out in the run no problem, but will they in a few feet of snow?
Oh, and almost forgot. She has a red light that she wants on at all times in the coop. She is using this as heat and I would guess that's why they are still laying? Or do you need a white light for that? In any event, she was going to put it on a timer but decided not to in case of a malfunction I think. I hope I've given enough info for all of you to advise me. I have searched on this forum and found info on pecking, so if some of the chicken owners that have suffered this have been successful, I want to hear how! Thank you in advance
They have six hens that are badly pecked on the bottoms. The neighbor talked to her vet about it before she left and he said they were bored and to get a flock block. She did that, but I am still observing them pecking at each other while I am there feeding and tending, and boy does it look awful. No blood that I can see yet, just swollen, red behinds. A few only have pink, featherless behinds, but a few more look angry, red, and swollen. They seem altogether pleasant most of the time, good dispositions, great egg layers(so far). Of the six hens, we are collecting 5 eggs every afternoon.
Here is some info that might allow you to weigh in. The coop is of a type I have seen online quite a bit. It looks like a miniature barn(4'X3' possibly) with flaps on both top sides that open up to collect eggs and clean. It's small, but with only six hens, I think it should be adequate? It's designed for that many anyway, I believe. I mention this because the vet said at first that he felt they didn't have enough room apparently. But they have 24 hour access to the run, which is quite big for that number of hens. It has a normal size door and I can stand up and walk around in it. My guess is that the run is about 15' long by about 6' wide.
I have read here and elsewhere about creams, salves, etc. I also remember some fabric type aprons. My question firstly is why might this be happening, other than boredom, and secondly what should I try first? I'm probably heading to our local ag store tomorrow for something...any suggestions? I mean, this is not going to get better, correct? One hen even looks a bit lumpy back there, so I'm hoping that she is not egg bound on top of everything else. I have yet to catch one as I have no net, and in order to do so I would have to bend down whilst running and lunging under the roosts that criss cross the run at about hip high. I will more than likely need our big fishing net to do so. I can't quarantine them as there is no one chicken being the aggressor. I might be wrong, but while I've been there, they will all take a peck at each other, EQUALLY!
Argh...I don't want these hens to die on me while in my care, they've grown on me already. We have been so completely fortunate so far this winter as we haven't had horribly low temps yet, or much snow. But it's coming. We are in NW Montana. It's inevitable. Right now they are going out in the run no problem, but will they in a few feet of snow?
Oh, and almost forgot. She has a red light that she wants on at all times in the coop. She is using this as heat and I would guess that's why they are still laying? Or do you need a white light for that? In any event, she was going to put it on a timer but decided not to in case of a malfunction I think. I hope I've given enough info for all of you to advise me. I have searched on this forum and found info on pecking, so if some of the chicken owners that have suffered this have been successful, I want to hear how! Thank you in advance
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