Pecking Problem *Pictures* Please help

[MikasGirl]

I have 22 chickens and one of them is extremely mean. Her name is Ruby. Being one of the younger chickens, her behavior shocked me. She beats up other hens, and stalks them. One of our polish, Synergy, got pecked up pretty bad about a month ago. Her neck was really bloody and torn up, and Ruby had done it. We separated both hens. Synergy is fine now, all of her feathers have grown back and she is very healthy. We had hoped that by separating Ruby, she wouldn't be AS mean as before, but she still was when we put her back with the other hens. Synergy and our other polish are still inside because when we put them out, they come back bald. Ruby starts it, but I assume as soon as the other chickens see blood, they "help" with the pecking. Their coop is large enough, they all have enough space and they have access to a large pen outside. We put a FlockBlock in their coop in hopes of distraction, but we still have problems. Ruby isn't the only mean chicken, because she herself is beat up. A few hens go out of their way to attack her. The same hens also mount other hens, the way a rooster would. There are pictures below:

Ruby




And pecked up hens:
Vinny



Sunny


There are more too. Sorry this was so long. I just don't know what to do... We are hoping one of our baby chicks will be a boy because a rooster might keep the hens in line, that way we wouldn't have to get rid of Ruby. I don't know. Any help is appreciated.

 

[hoosier]

Looking at the pics, I thought it might have been roo damage until I read that you don't have one. I have never used them, but I understand that some on here have had luck with anti-pick bits.

 

[chicmom]

I had a really mean hen who began pecking the feathers of all my hens, on their backs just above where the tail begins. I got rid of her. All is well now.

Do you think your hens could be overcrowded? I think people say they need four square feet of living space per bird.....which does seem big......do you allow them to free range?

 

[mypicklebird]

You have a couple of options- rehome/get rid of bully hens (though a new one MAY step up and take her place), give them more to do & more places to get away from each other, give them more room. I would recommend doing all things if you can. Though you think you have lots of space, they will always appreciate more. A pen does not allow a low chicken many places to get away from a bully. I can tell they are in confinement as there is not a scrap of grass in their pen & there is lots of grass on the other side of the fence. Can you let them free range? Do you have a predator problem?

 

[teach1rusl]

Yes...you definitely need to make some changes. I was cringing looking at those poor birds. And you don't just have one bully, not if the "bully" is being beaten up that badly too. Your run is pretty barren, based on the youtube video. You should definitely add a variety of roosts out there. This gives birds a place to go to when being picked on. I would consider expanding it too with the issues you have. Twenty two chickens is a lot of birds to keep cooped up (in a contained run space), and with the obvious personality issues some of your flock has, you NEED more space. Or observe for several hours, and find out for certain who is bullying whom, and get rid of the bullies. You can't afford to wait months and months until a rooster is old enough to take charge.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Hens will sometimes pick if they are bored too. Free-ranging would definitely help with that. If you CAN'T let them range, try to give them something to do. A head of cabbage makes a good pecking target, and a tasty addition to the diet, too!

As mentioned above, you also need a place for the hens to escape a bully. Multiple roost are good, and so are cubby holes they can hide in (though they'll probably use them as nest boxes if you make them too comfortable!)

 

[texasviking]

We have three chicks who just started laying. But, the Americanaus is pecking the Wyandot and Rod Island Red. We have gone through a gallon of 'Roster Booster' (pine tar), and Seven dusting thinking it might be mites. But, the bottom line is: we have a 'bully hen'. We don't want to put her into a pot (we love her blue eggs), so we are separating her to her own cage for awhile - or forever - unless, she gets some manners. I guess this gets the price of our eggs back up to several hundred dollars an egg for a while! But, we love them..... texasviking

 

[MikasGirl]

I cannot let them free range because our neighbors have three dogs who are not penned up, and there are cougars in the area. I would actually LOVE to expand it, a lot. But, I am a 15 year old girl w/o the funds or knowledge to expand the run/coop. It is a matter of convincing my father, who is the only one that is able to help me. I'd really rather not get rid of Ruby, especially since I know I cannot cull her, and neither can my mother or father, and I am almost positive no one will take her.

 

[FrenchHen]

The pinless peepers from eggcartons.com really helped our flock.

We're about to change places with our two flocks because we have a pecking thing going on with the new girls. I think I know who it is, and she may get peepered tonight.

 

[chicmom]

Well, here are some ideas for you, make things more interesting for your chickens.....will your mom let you buy a cabbage and maybe a bag of apples? They will LOVE that....also, you could add some sand to your chicken run so they could dust bath, or maybe some natural tree branches for them to roost on.....if you can rake up some leaves from fall or some soft pine needles....(I'm thinking you're in the country since you have cougars around....), they just need some things to do.....

If your parents wouldn't mind, maybe they could buy you a bale of hay to throw around in the chicken run.....

Those are some free or cheap ideas for you.....

Good luck Dear!

Sharon