mrscojo
Hatching
Hello,
I recently became a chicken owner in November 2015. {Have done lots of reading and research on here and haven't introduced myself yet.} We had just relocated to Cheyenne, WY and finally got a place that allowed chickens. I took an existing structure and made it a coop. Its probably 12x12 (Pictured in my profile pic) and I put 6 nesting boxes in. I bought 6 pullets in november and they all started laying soon after. I added some heat lamps for the extra cold days and have given them about 2 extra hours of light after dusk.
But recently they have started pecking each other pretty badly. Long story here: but I had one starting to become a bit broody. So I spent the morning setting up a cage to keep her separate but still in the coop. Then I went back out to refill her water and she got out. The first thing she did was draw blood on the backside of another hen. They have been pecking at each other since we have gotten lots of snow and they couldn't be out as much. But never have drawn blood before. Do I need to keep the bloody one separate now too?? I give them plenty of scraps and hanging garland and a pecking block. I can't seem to figure it out!
I have 3 welsummers and 3 rhode Island reds.
Thanks for any tips or advice you have for a newbie!
I recently became a chicken owner in November 2015. {Have done lots of reading and research on here and haven't introduced myself yet.} We had just relocated to Cheyenne, WY and finally got a place that allowed chickens. I took an existing structure and made it a coop. Its probably 12x12 (Pictured in my profile pic) and I put 6 nesting boxes in. I bought 6 pullets in november and they all started laying soon after. I added some heat lamps for the extra cold days and have given them about 2 extra hours of light after dusk.
But recently they have started pecking each other pretty badly. Long story here: but I had one starting to become a bit broody. So I spent the morning setting up a cage to keep her separate but still in the coop. Then I went back out to refill her water and she got out. The first thing she did was draw blood on the backside of another hen. They have been pecking at each other since we have gotten lots of snow and they couldn't be out as much. But never have drawn blood before. Do I need to keep the bloody one separate now too?? I give them plenty of scraps and hanging garland and a pecking block. I can't seem to figure it out!
I have 3 welsummers and 3 rhode Island reds.
Thanks for any tips or advice you have for a newbie!