Pecking gone to cannibalism. How to I figure this one out?

[RosesCritters]

I have 4 chickens. 2 black star sex-linked and 2 golden-laced Wyandotte's.

We've always had trouble with one of the black stars bum getting super poopy. We had to wash a boulder of poo off her backside repetitively. Ultimately, we trimmed her feathers to keep the poo from sticking. I did treat them for worms to see if this would correct the issue. It didn't.

Because we trimmed her feathers, a bit of her bum was exposed. No one bothered it. It was fine. Until I switched their feed to something "better".

It's the kind of feed with several kinds of seeds and pellets. Apparently, they were sorting through the seeds and only eating the seeds they liked. The rest fell to the ground and was hidden under the woodchips we have down in the run.

They started picking on each other due to the nutritional imbalance this caused. One of the black stars had half of the feathers on her head pulled out.

One day, the black star with the exposed bum turned up with a bloody hole the size of a silver dollar in it! Her insides were exposed, skin gone and she was in shock.
I scooped her up, took her to the basement of our home and set up a little hospital. We treated her every day by irrigating the wound and applying antibiotic ointment. She healed in a month.

After fully healed, we built a pen for her in the run with chicken wire separating her from the rest of the flock for a slow reintroduction. I let her out with the others for supervised visits... and they still peck at her bum, starting new wounds. I put her back in the pen and she cries like I've stolen her first-born child.

The primary offender is the other black star, she bows to exposed bum black star when challenged but bites her in the butt when she turns around. What's worse, is the exposed bum black star doesn't really try to stop her or try to run away!

I've changed their food back to well-balanced 20% protein feather fixer pellets but since the pecking is continuing, I'm not sure what to do.
Through observation, I can see that 2 chickens peck at her, one does not. I've considered putting the non-pecking chicken in the pen with her to keep her company and assist with the reintegration process.
Since molt isn't until late summer, her feathers won't grow back to protect her bum until then. Seems like a long time to keep a chicken in a pen.

They are kept in the run only, no free range. The run size is 12'x6'.

Any help you can offer, I would be so grateful! Here is a URL to view the run and chickens on you tube:

 

[thecatumbrella]

Feather picking is a nightmare, and one that I've gone through. Sex-links and other high-production breeds are often culprits (both of mine were). Once they form the habit, it can be very, very hard to break. Your poor Black Star's bum is basically a treat dispenser for them.

Being confined does not help, as the chickens eventually run out of things to do.

In my case, I rehomed my feather pickers, with full-disclosure, to a free-range home. Both transitioned seamlessly and stopped the feather pecking. Often times, these birds need to be culled, so I was fortunate.

I hope someone's able to offer a solution that works and allows you to keep your birds, but IMO, feather picking is a one-way ticket out, especially in a confinement situation (where injuries can get out-of-hand quickly).

 

[MarlaMac]

Can you divide the run into 2 sections with 2 hens each temporairly? That would provide room for each of them without the "I am stuck in a cage feeling". More work for you, but probably better for them.

Do they peck at her when they go to roost?

Have you tried to spray the skin with bluekot to cover up the bareness/wounded area?

You can also put more hiding places in your run so the girl can get away and hide (make sure there are two entrance and exit points). Two feeding/watering area out of line of sight from each other might provide some releif.

 

[RosesCritters]

Feather picking is a nightmare, and one that I've gone through. Sex-links and other high-production breeds are often culprits (both of mine were). Once they form the habit, it can be very, very hard to break. Your poor Black Star's bum is basically a treat dispenser for them.

Being confined does not help, as the chickens eventually run out of things to do.

In my case, I rehomed my feather pickers, with full-disclosure, to a free-range home. Both transitioned seamlessly and stopped the feather pecking. Often times, these birds need to be culled, so I was fortunate.

I hope someone's able to offer a solution that works and allows you to keep your birds, but IMO, feather picking is a one-way ticket out, especially in a confinement situation (where injuries can get out-of-hand quickly).

Eh, I was hoping this wasn't the case. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope others will also chime in.

I was thinking of building a yard for them with a cover to expand their space. We live in the woods where we have fox and raccoon and even bobcat in broad day light.

 

[hellochicken123]

You can try to protect her temperarly a back cloth they r for keeping roosters away but I have used them on the past you can also put her in a dog cage to protect her and it from other rhen

 

[thecatumbrella]

Eh, I was hoping this wasn't the case. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope others will also chime in.

I was thinking of building a yard for them with a cover to expand their space. We live in the woods where we have fox and raccoon and even bobcat in broad day light.

I'm in a similar situation. We can't free-range, and I've paid for that with behavioral issues (despite lots of effort on my part to keep them entertained). I'm sure yours will appreciate the expansion, especially if you can find ways to offer foraging opportunities (like a dig box or grazing boxes). It gives them something else to peck through besides each other.

You'll, for sure, get more suggestions. It's worth trying what you can before giving up!

 

[RosesCritters]

Can you divide the run into 2 sections with 2 hens each temporairly? That would provide room for each of them without the "I am stuck in a cage feeling". More work for you, but probably better for them.

Do they peck at her when they go to roost?

Have you tried to spray the skin with bluekot to cover up the bareness/wounded area?

You can also put more hiding places in your run so the girl can get away and hide (make sure there are two entrance and exit points). Two feeding/watering area out of line of sight from each other might provide some releif.

I used bluekot when I first put her back out there. It was like it wasn't even there! So disappointing.

She doesn't join them in the roost at night. She's sleeping in a box in her little pen with a panel heater. I wouldn't trust that they would peck another huge hole in her from the way they are acting if I put her in the roost/coop.

Good suggestions, more space with more hiding places. I don't mind more work. Right now, i have the waterer and feeder half way poking through holes cut in the chicken wire so the penned chicken can use the same feeders. I wrapped the chicken wire around itself to keep from any pokey bits sticking out. Its like a self-service window.