Ok, I've had it with this picking I NEED HELP!

[GwenFarms]

MtTrout,
How old are your chicks?

 

[Break an Egg]

I had introduced a new chick to my 4 week olds, and noticed that one was doing the majority of the pecking on the new guy. I put both of them in a brooder box together so they can be just one on one. Now there doesn't seem to be a prob.

 

[LoneCowboy]

So I have a thought, tell me what you all think. I got a roo from MMH

You know, they guarentee only 90% accuracy on their sexing.... Anyway, I'm thinking about taking the 5 red sexlinks out and at the same time adding a bunch of new girls and this roo. Do you think that will help? I'm hoping the roo will take the place of the head chicken that I'm removing from the coop and stop any problem from the others. Plus help keep the newbies from picking up bad habits. Plus get all the stress over at once. I bought a bunch more red and black sexlinks for laying, but I'm keeping them in their own coop so this doesn't happen again.

I'll try the greasy stuff and see how that works. My luck they'll just pick some where else

 

[TerryW]

I've had a picking problem on and off over the years, I read that if you add some salt to their water for a few days it stops the picking. In my case it has every time.

 

[GwenFarms]

There is a stage in a chickens growth when their feathers are coming in around the rump that is very critical. We always called it "blood Feathers" , but I'm sure that is a homegrown term. There is a sheath at the bottom of these feathers flaking up which attracts pecking. These tender, new feathers are easy to pluck at this time and there is a little pocket of blood that immediately bubbles up when you pull them out. This stage doesn't last very long, but can lead to later cannabilism if not dealt with. They learn that everytime there is a feather plucked more tasty blood appears.

Most other methods, other than direct treatment aren't really working, its just that it allows this time to past and hopefully your chicks stop pecking on their own. Sometimes they don't and you always have trouble with them. You see pecking at all stages due to overcrowding, but you already stated that your's had plenty of room.

Put the grease on them and let me know how it works

 

[MTtroutwithwings]

Quote:
9.5 mos. old (the ones that are picking anyway.)

 

[Pine Grove]

Quote:
This definitly works, so does feeding them styrofoam for a day or two, Though I dont advise either

 

[GwenFarms]

styrofoam will work for older chicks like MTtrouts, but I don't advise it either. I have a nieghbor who has an overcrowding problem that they compensate for by putting styrofoam in to keep them from pecking. While it works it has to be very unhealthy for the birds.

 

[coloradochick]

Sorry but what does styrofoam do?

 

[GwenFarms]

It stops boredom. When they are in a small space they don't have anything to scratch, or peck and they love pecking styrofoam, but they DO ingest it, so I don't think it is a good idea, even though I've never seen chickens die from it. It made an amazing difference in my neighbors older hens that were literally pecking one another to death. He has them in a too small run. Building a bigger run would probably solve his problem, but alot of times ones a chicken learns cannabilism its hard to break it.