one chicken getting picked on really bad

[0die]

I have a mixed flock of 7 birds...all the same age +/- 3 weeks...

One of my birds has been getting pecked on very, very bad...but only by 2 other birds....I kinda let it go as a normal "peeking order" thing until I noticed the back of her neck...a patch the size of a half dollar that looked like it was open muscle...no skin or feathers...

I separated her and used some Blue Kote and she healed right up...

I did notice that she had a really swollen foot...which was bumblefoot and I cut out the hard kernals and bandaged her up...

I don't know if she had the bumblefoot before the peeking started or if it was because of her foot that the other chickens saw and easy target...

The other 4 chickens don't do anything...just 2 mean ones...or really one mean on and her side kick...

Anyway, I ended up isolating the bad chickens for a couple weeks while the bumblefoot healed but when I put them all back together the peeking started right back...

the poor bird is a white leghorn but now her feathers are kinda dingy while the other leghorn stays clean white...washing her didn't clean the feathers...it's almost like the actual feather color is changing...I wonder if it's health related.

 

[clucker farms]

I know it is terrible to know that one of you chickens is picking on one of it own kind. I have two French Guinea hens and they killed two of my Easter egg chickens and I was so sad and they are only a couple of weeks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most pecking issues at that age are from too small an area, too much heat or boredom. At three weeks they can spend the day outside on some grass, which should alleviate the pecking.

 

[clucker farms]

Thank you for that. my first four chickens i got them when the were six weeks old so they were pretty big when I got them. This was my first group of really young chicks. Just make sure you don't get french guineas hen they are three weeks and still little and they killed my two easter chickens.

 

[brusterrooster]

The to bullies are probably closer in age and older. Try putting them in a separate cage or something. But make sure they stay in the same area so the can be around each other, and not peck each other. Also give all chickens the chickens the same qualities!

Good luck!!

 

[clucker farms]

Thank you

 

[aart]

I have a mixed flock of 7 birds...all the same age +/- 3 weeks...

One of my birds has been getting pecked on very, very bad...but only by 2 other birds....I kinda let it go as a normal "peeking order" thing until I noticed the back of her neck...a patch the size of a half dollar that looked like it was open muscle...no skin or feathers...

I separated her and used some Blue Kote and she healed right up...

I did notice that she had a really swollen foot...which was bumblefoot and I cut out the hard kernals and bandaged her up...

I don't know if she had the bumblefoot before the peeking started or if it was because of her foot that the other chickens saw and easy target...

The other 4 chickens don't do anything...just 2 mean ones...or really one mean on and her side kick...

Anyway, I ended up isolating the bad chickens for a couple weeks while the bumblefoot healed but when I put them all back together the peeking started right back...

the poor bird is a white leghorn but now her feathers are kinda dingy while the other leghorn stays clean white...washing her didn't clean the feathers...it's almost like the actual feather color is changing...I wonder if it's health related.

How does a 3 week old chick get a bumblefoot infection?
How/where are you housing them...size of enclosure(feet by feet)?

 

[0die]

How does a 3 week old chick get a bumblefoot infection?
How/where are you housing them...size of enclosure(feet by feet)?

OOPS...guess I should have clarified...they are adults about 15 months old...but they are all within 3 weeks age of each other...they were raised together from hatchlings...so it's not like it's a new chicken that the flock is picking on...they all grew up together...

they were all fine for a year and then this all just happened the last month.

 

[aart]

Quote: AH ok...still need housing size information.

 

[0die]

they free range half my backyard...about a 15x60 foot fenced area. and their coop/run is a 6x12 6ft tall enclosure so I don't think they are crowded...

they have completely stripped the yard so is it boredom? they have constant access to feed and water.

the trouble maker is a Barred Rock and her sidekick is an Americana. The victim is one of two Leghorns.

My RIR, Astralorp and Welsumer don't pick on her at all.