Pecking

[Sipplchicks]

I have 2 buffs, 2reds and 2 ISO. Got them all this spring. They are in from the cold and I noticed pecking on the backs of a buffs and an ISO. So I think it my be the RO reds? What can I do?

 

[Rainbowskyes]

I find if I coop mine up too long in the coop, they get bored and testy with one another. Not sure how cold it is where you are, its around 20F here in Eastern WA. and I open up the coop door every morning till dusk, shovel a small area, and put straw down for my girls to hang out, get some stretching in. It has gotten down to about 4F and they still come out and scratch around. I try to throw interesting treats into the straw, like apples, micro greens, healthy left overs to break up monotony. Yesterday, I gave them the left over shelled crab from Christmas dinner... they had a blast working the meat out and running around keeping crab shells from one another. Ive hung broccoli from the roost during the day and watched them use it as a pinata ...

 

[Sipplchicks]

Here in Michigan it has gone below 0 for several days wondering if they should be out? And thanks for the tips on treats.

 

[chickens really]

Red Birds don't handle confinement as well as Orpington and more docile breeds. Possibly up the protein and put more entertainment in the coop..
I will not keep Red Birds..

 

[aart]

I have 2 buffs, 2reds and 2 ISO. Got them all this spring. They are in from the cold and I noticed pecking on the backs of a buffs and an ISO. So I think it my be the RO reds? What can I do?

Here in Michigan it has gone below 0 for several days wondering if they should be out? And thanks for the tips on treats.

Yup, it's cold...not as cold as some parts of the world, but still. What part of MI are you in? We've got 2' of snow since xmas and another foot coming in a couple days.
My run is not covered so my birds are staying inside,
I don't think they've been out in a week.
Haven't even bothered opening the pop door the last few days.
Chicken Cabin Fever is real...space and good nutrition are key.

Knowing more about:
your coop(size in feet by feet with pics),
and what and how exactly you are feeding,
might offer clues to if there is a solvable problem.

 

[Sipplchicks]

Thanks for your input. I am in middle of the state sub zero nights. These girls are my babies! The coop is 8' X 10' HEATED waterer have a shelf under the roosting area so they have the entire floor. I put linoleum down fresh pine and straw is deep in these temps too.
They are on laying pellets from tractor supply and lots of treats. They get a bowl of warm oatmeal corn with a handful of sunflower seeds mealworms baked egg shells, I put a water bottle of mealworms some days or hang an apple. It's so clean I could live out there They have 3 doublepain windows I insulated with bubble wrap for the winter. Ventilation up top. The only thing they don't have is is a dust bath, but I do check for parasites. They have a 10' x 10' cover outside but I still have kept them in except for the times when I clean and feed. Maybe I put Vaseline on there combs and let them out some of the day. We are in the single digits and below zero for the next 6 days?

 

[aart]

The Lake gives us the snow here, but also tempers the temps a bit....luckily we've stayed above the negs mostly.
They might need more protein...not sure all the treats are so great if they don't eat enough of the layer to get enough of the vitamins/minerals/amino acids in there.

What's an ISO?
Maybe you could split off part of the coop to segregate the reds?

 

[Sipplchicks]

The Lake gives us the snow here, but also tempers the temps a bit....luckily we've stayed above the negs mostly.
They might need more protein...not sure all the treats are so great if they don't eat enough of the layer to get enough of the vitamins/minerals/amino acids in there.

What's an ISO?
Maybe you could split off part of the coop to segregate the reds?

 

[Sipplchicks]

Sorry I wrote ISO meant ISA look it up great explain on u tube
They get a warm bowl of about 1/3 oatmeal 2/3 layer food and a hand full of shells and mabey mealworms. They are eating lots of layer food lots of fresh water. I do think that separating them may be a good idea. And it's 10 out this morning so I am leaving the door open for a few hours thank you

 

[Sipplchicks]

The Lake gives us the snow here, but also tempers the temps a bit....luckily we've stayed above the negs mostly.
They might need more protein...not sure all the treats are so great if they don't eat enough of the layer to get enough of the vitamins/minerals/amino acids in there.

What's an ISO?
Maybe you could split off part of the coop to segregate the reds?

The Lake gives us the snow here, but also tempers the temps a bit....luckily we've stayed above the negs mostly.
They might need more protein...not sure all the treats are so great if they don't eat enough of the layer to get enough of the vitamins/minerals/amino acids in there.

What's an ISO?
Maybe you could split off part of the coop to segregate the reds?

Love your profile pic