Pecking and general bullying

[zaapoole]

I have six adult chickens and now four chicks which are now 12 nearly 13 weeks. They are being constantly pecked and I know it's natural behaviour but it is meaning that the chicks won't go into the house at night because they are getting horribly pecked just while they sit in the nesting box all of the adults apart from two are pecking them without any reason! At first I thought it was becuase we found red mite a few weeks ago but I have sorted that now after thoroughly disinfecting and checking the house and they seem to have gone. I have tried two different types of anti pecking spray for several days without any improvement and I am worried as I have a chicken house with an electric fence and so the chicks are roosting on top of the house put in the open without any protection from foxes etc. Unless we manually put them into the house and close the door (normally the door closes on its own as it is light sensor) it wouldn't be a problem but I am going away for a few weeks and the friend coming to check on them twice a day cannot put them to bed every single night!

Please I am begging for answers as it is just horrible how these chicks are being pecked in the chicken house but I cannot let the roost on top for fear of foxes and other animals and also the cold!

Please help somebody!! How do I stop pecking!! I feel as though I have tried everything including the pecking sprays twice a day.

Thanks very much

 

[sourland]

Realistically the only solution is to separate them until the chicks are larger and more able to defend themselves. Once they are larger introduce the two friendliest hens to their pen. Once things settle down (days not hours) one by one introduce the more aggressive hens over a period of days/weeks. Big chickens pick on new/small chickens.