Revised Pullets Pecking each other.....

[pjbarb]

Well, my pullets are now considered Hens and my pecking problem has still not stopped. I have bald chickens, mainly the Rhode Island Reds are the ones with no feathers around their tails and up their backs and butts. They look TERRIBLE, some are even pecked up their necks! I have tried nose rings, blue kote, cat food, forage cakes, swinging cabbage, protein of all forms two waterers, scratch, sunflower seed, I have seperated them. Next I will try Pine Tar and peepers, I tried to debeak them and cut off just the tip very very slightly and one of them bled for hours I had to burn it to stop. If the peepers and pine tar don't work maybe a axe will. Oh I also put little coats on them and they started pecking everywhere else....Any other ideas? Thanks...

 

[smith2]

Do you think they could be too crowded? Are they getting enough sunlight? Just some thoughts.

 

[peruvian_princess]

Those chickens must have OCD!

 

[pjbarb]

As far as being crowded, I don't believe so. I was new to this a year ago, and I don't think I got to the problem quick enough. They were bored over the winter and needed other things to do. Now they like the taste of the feathers or something. It's easy to say just cull the one(s) that are doing the damage, but to be honest I can't catch the culprit(s). I work all day and the few hours I am home no one chicken plucks another. I notice when one goes to dust itself others peck at it. I'd have to kill them all though.

 

[chickenannie]

How big is your pen, and how many chickens are inside?

 

[pjbarb]

My pen is 12' x 10' with a 8'x10' attached hen house. We have
18 hens in there.

 

[chickenannie]

That sounds like enough space... I wonder if their nutritional needs are being met. That might be causing them to be hungry a lot. I'm not the expert on protein ratio, etc., but do they always have feed available, and what kind?

 

[pjbarb]

I always have layer pellets in their wall feeder. They also get treats during the day from my wife and kids. Such as sunflower seed a head of cabbage strung from the roof so it swings. Lots of veggies from the rewraps at the grocery store. We let them out as much as we can to roam, we can't leave them unattended during the day though. Thanks for replying...

 

[chickenannie]

I don't know... that all sounds good. Anyone else have ideas?

 

[peruvian_princess]

I think it is a learned behavior if it isnt nutritonally related. usually they eat feathers when they lack something intheir diet. Not sure on this one. Like I said they must suffer from OCD..... maybe it could happen in a chicken