Pecking Issue

[Ted Brown]

I have recently realized that I have a pecking issue. I have six ISA Browns (14 months) and five (1 cockerel) Ameraucana mixes (9 months).

I thought they were molting but wondered at that because of ages. Rather it seems that the ISAs are aggressive and peck at themselves and others. I have two of the Americucana mixes with bare spots above the tail and one that hides out in the nest boxes a lot of the time. The ISAs have lost feathers and are quite white midst brown from down showing. I am concerned if their condition remains as we hit winter.

Advice and suggestions appreciated!

Ted

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are several issues that can cause that. Space per bird is one. It is always a good idea to evaluate nutrition when it happens. In my experience, some of my birds have started picking in front of the tail when I cut back protein. One year I even had some cannibalism when I dropped the fishmeal from their 16% organic starter.

 

[Ted Brown]

I have 11 birds in 160 sq ft of coop and 160 sq ft of run underneath the raised (3+ft.) coop.

They get a 16% non-medicated rough corn/grain mix from local mill AND 22% non medicated duck starter. Both available all the time in the coop. Also have water (currently on a six day once per month "Vitamins and Electrolytes" powder supplement) all the time; also have oyster shell in a separate bottle all the time.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you have stuff in the run for them to interact with? Piles of straw or dried leaves to dig through, things to climb up on, run around, etc.?

 

[Ted Brown]

Do you have stuff in the run for them to interact with? Piles of straw or dried leaves to dig through, things to climb up on, run around, etc.?

The run space is accessible at all times, dry, well secured with HC on walls and an apron. It is accessed via a ramp about 8' long along one side with a roof. It has 8-10 inches of leaves, straw and pine shavings and several depressions where the girls dig and wallow. Given the limited height I have not put anything else, rationalized it would crowd things. They have a swing as well as a dirt bath (sand and ashes) in a 1/2 plastic 55 gallon drum, both inside the coop.

I will give some thought to additions below that would add interest.

 

[Ted Brown]

I did some work on coop and run today to add interest bits. Best of all I let them free range all day (1st time for me, birds were out late fall last year with my sister & BIL). They returned to the coop around 3:30pm.

I sealed drop boards along edges and sifted/added Sweet PDZ. Added a 3 foot stump and burly branch for some variety in the run.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think your setup looks good.
The only thing I might suggest is to look at why you mix the 16% grain with the 22% feed.
Perhaps they are picking out the grain and leaving the higher protein alone. That is just a guess.

 

[Ted Brown]

@ChickenCanoe I do not mix their food, separate hanging dispensers. They eat a liter container of each per day, consumption is about equal.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I did some work on coop and run today to add interest bits. Best of all I let them free range all day (1st time for me, birds were out late fall last year with my sister & BIL). They returned to the coop around 3:30pm.

I sealed drop boards along edges and sifted/added Sweet PDZ. Added a 3 foot stump and burly branch for some variety in the run.

Hopefully the additions will help, as well as the free range time. The coop is super beautiful, but as chickens often favor spending time outside (whether run or free range) my guess is lack of "stuff" was perhaps a contributing factor.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

@ChickenCanoe I do not mix their food, separate hanging dispensers. They eat a liter container of each per day, consumption is about equal.

That's good. Do you think they are getting enough feed total? I don't portion feed. I leave feed available all day every day. Chickens are voracious eaters and will eat something whether feed is available or not. I would rather they eat feed.
If free ranging, they can find good things to eat but if they don't have enough of their regular feed, they could be eating bark, bedding, feces, greens that they perhaps shouldn't eat.
In your neck of the woods, you have a short growing season and if gleaning nutrition from their free ranging, they will need some pristine forage that provides plenty of animal protein seeds and greenery. A flock of chickens can quickly deplete a small range of available nutrition.