Oats , Fighting and biting

[Chick2chicken]

Hello again!
Today I was feeding the girls oats not cooked, just a little treat... Anyways I was spreading them around and the girls were scratching around and then Hope came up and bit Spiffy i didn't see if spiffy provoked it somehow... there was a lot of flapping and I couldn't really see what happened it calmed down after 5 seconds and I checked spiffy to make sure she was ok, she was fine she just went back to pecking at the ground as for hope I had a little talk with her.

Anyways I was just reading and since the weather still isn't that nice they also pick each other sometimes. I read that to keep feather picking and biting to a minimum you spray them with vinegar and put vinegar in their water is that right? They say white vinegar not ACV.

Also yes I know I should treat the problem of them being bored and I have with homemade flock blocks and chicken toys its just every once and a while they pick the feathers anyways I was just wondering about the vinegar.
thanks in advance

chick2chicken

 

[azygous]

White vinegar has no use for poultry other than to make a cleaning solution for wiping down dirty surfaces.

The little run-in Hope and Spiffy had was a pecking order confrontation. It's entirely normal and to be expected that two chickens will disagree as to what rank each has in the flock and they need to settle things physically when they can't agree. These disagreements, as you noticed, are over in a flash. It's best not to interfere with them when you see it, as it can make things worse if you restrain one of them. You would see the other chicken immediately attack the one you've restrained.

Space is the best cure for boredom. You can also take an eye screw and screw it into a jumbo carrot or apple and hang it up for them to bat around with their beaks as they try to eat it. Cabbage also is easy to hang in this way.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like normal pecking order behaviors. You threw out treats and a more dominant member said basically "hey, I go first", than pecked to reinforce that information. The one being pecked often act like they were hurt, but they are actually saying "oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there", and they run off squawking.

I wouldn't worry unless you see blood being drawn. It's always best to scatter treats far and wide so everyone can get some.