Please HELP.. not sure whats going on.....

[country girl44]

I want to thank everyone for your help, and I will keep you posted, and will post photos of my little one as she heals and the bigger area.... thank you again for everything.

 

[country girl44]

When I notice several of my 8 week old pullets had small bloody areas & tail feathers were missing, I got the Blu-Kote & kept the inquiries covered with it. The picking stopped & the girls healed up. I also pulled aside any chick I caught pecking on others. I gave the abuser a 15 minute time out in a separate cage. Dont laught! It may not have sent a message to the bad girl, but it certainly made me feel better! There should be a consequence to picking on your sister!

I told my husband the same thing, if we spot the trouble maker, she will get a time out!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

just snacks, like fruit. watermelon, and small amounts of scratch. just to keep them busy...

Fruit and scratch contain little to zero protein.

I told my husband the same thing, if we spot the trouble maker, she will get a time out!

I agree with Wyorp Rock. Don't feel too bad. Luckily you caught it.
Even us experienced occasionally have issues that are a surprise.
The reason I recognized your issue immediately is because I witnessed it with a flock of similar aged birds. I thought for sure I had rats eating my chickens at night. Then one evening I went into the coop only to see the birds clustered together with 2 birds eating meat off the back of another.
I had been feeding a 16% organic grower mixed 10:1 with fishmeal for a 20% protein result. When I moved them to a larger building, I thought they were ready for lower protein. When I resumed mixing the fishmeal into the feed, the problem stopped. I had never seen it before and I lost 4 chickens in the process.

 

[country girl44]

Fruit and scratch contain little to zero protein.

I agree with Wyorp Rock. Don't feel too bad. Luckily you caught it.
Even us experienced occasionally have issues that are a surprise.
The reason I recognized your issue immediately is because I witnessed it with a flock of similar aged birds. I thought for sure I had rats eating my chickens at night. Then one evening I went into the coop only to see the birds clustered together with 2 birds eating meat off the back of another.
I had been feeding a 16% organic grower mixed 10:1 with fishmeal for a 20% protein result. When I moved them to a larger building, I thought they were ready for lower protein. When I resumed mixing the fishmeal into the feed, the problem stopped. I had never seen it before and I lost 4 chickens in the process.

WOW well I'm glad you knew what it was right away. I brought today some mackerel and the blue kote which I will do in the morning after letting them run around for a little while. I have been doing that for a while now but I guess the just need to be free.. I have to use the blue kote twice a day which is why I will start it tomorrow morning. she's been sleeping most of the day, lets just hope she gets better soon. I hate knowing my babies are in any pain. I'm an animal lover and I care for them all like children. thank you again!

 

[JuliaOlivia]

Some tips for introducing the two groups of chickens. The way we do it is we have this portable wire fence, we put that in the coop with our big chickens. We put all the chicks in the fence at night and then in the morning take away the fence. They wake up together and seems to work fine for us so far.

 

[country girl44]

well today the babies have the run of the basement for now. my hurt baby seems to be doing good. but once in a while they pick at her even with the blue stuff on her tail. I am watching them and it's not just one trouble pecker but all are picking on her . I let them all run around together for about an hour, now hurt baby has the coop to herself while the others have the basement area. she can still see her sisters, but they can't peck her. and they all had some mackerel this morning too. JuliaOlivia out of the 8 girls I now have outside 3 came at a different time and what I did was just took them and put them outside and watched them. they did their pecking order for a little bit and then they were all fine together. This is the first time I introduce 10 babies at once so it's a little different for me but thanks for the idea.

 

[country girl44]

UPDATE:

BABIES AND BIG GIRLS HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE TOGETHER TODAY SINCE 12NOON, AND NO BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED, AND THE BIG GIRLS EVEN RAN AWAY FROM THE BABIES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY FUNNY. EVERYONE IS DOING GREAT, AND BABIES ARE IN THE BIG GIRL COOP, AND NO MORE PROBLEMS. SO FAR SO GOOD. HOPING FOR A GOODNIGHT AS WELL

 

[Wickedchicken6]

View attachment 1043724 View attachment 1043726 UPDATE:

BABIES AND BIG GIRLS HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE TOGETHER TODAY SINCE 12NOON, AND NO BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED, AND THE BIG GIRLS EVEN RAN AWAY FROM THE BABIES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY FUNNY. EVERYONE IS DOING GREAT, AND BABIES ARE IN THE BIG GIRL COOP, AND NO MORE PROBLEMS. SO FAR SO GOOD. HOPING FOR A GOODNIGHT AS WELL

That's fantastic!

I would still keep a close eye on them. It sounds like things are coming together.

 

[country girl44]

last night we had to put the babies inside the coop, because they were in there all day with the door open and thought it was a good idea to come out around 8:30 and then did not know how to get back in. right now they are ALL outside together since this morning, but this time the babies are staying close to the coop. we are hoping tonight they go in without our help.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Sometimes it takes a few days and some guidance to get them into the schedule of going in. Sometimes it takes longer.

I'm glad to hear things are still going well between all the ages.