Separating to stop Pecking and Plucking

[JeffandLori]

I have an issue with pecking and plucking in my flock of four ISLA Red (or is it brown? New to this about nine months ago). Per suggestions on here I expanded the coop and run. I now have a 24 sqft coop with three perches, each at least four feet long and a 72 sqft run for the four birds. I put "pinless peepers" on them while I built the new coop and run. The pinless peepers have been on for about four weeks and they have been in the new run about a week and a half.

I also upped their protein intake to 18%-20% about four weeks ago. I tried giving them some scrambled eggs but they didn't act like they saw them.

Tonight I thought "Well, we should be able to take the peepers off. Feathers are growing in, they have plenty of room, I put a Flock Block in to give them something to peck at."

Nope. One of them went to pecking the others and pulling feathers out and eating them.

I could put the peepers back on (hate to do that as it's a pain). So I thought I would separate the offending hen. I can put her in the old tractor that is 4x8. Alternately, I have a large wire dog kennel that is about 4' x 3' I could put on the patio. Link

My questions are:

• Odds of this working? Or should I just put the peepers back on and be done with it? In which case, this Flock Block is useless.
• How long to separate? Couple days? Couple weeks?
• Separate in 4x8 tractor or in dog crate?
• Should it be within eyesight of the others or completely out of eyesight? Completely out of eyesight would be possible- just not convenient and slightly more vulnerable to nighttime predators.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cavemanrich]

Sounds like you have Isa Brown, sexlink hens, so no roosters. I'm puzzled why they are still pecking the feathers, and consuming them. That usually happens when hens are protein deficient in their diet.
Pecking alone, and not very vicious is something that will occur in all flocks. If you thing it is somewhat too much aggression from a certain hen, I think the cage jail would be a viable solution to try out. Keep her in jail, and provide small separate feed, and water inside cage.

I also don't know if the aggression is when they get near the feed. Often times, this happens, that chickens want to keep others from eating the feed resources. A solution to this is to provide multiple feeders. The bowls do not need to be large, just multiple in separate locations. (not 4 bowls lined up next to each other).. Also do same with water.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[JeffandLori]

Thanks. Yeah, they have plenty of feed. I've always just kept the feeder full and even throw about a "red solo cup" worth on the ground for them to scratch for as well as scratch grains.

I'll pick up another feeder today, but when it was happening it would be anywhere in the run. No where close to food.

How long do you suggest in "cage jail"?

 

[JeffandLori]

I had been using a home made PVC feeder but with the peepers on they can't seem to figure out to put their heads in the holes. So ever since I've been scattering feed on the ground.

I'm thinking to pick one of these up:
I'm thinking to change their feeder to this style:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/harris-farms-chicken-feeder-7-lb?cm_vc=-10011

If I have to put the peepers back on, will they be able to use this or will that confuse them too? I swear these are the four dumbest chickens around- but since they started laying in May, I've probably missed maybe a dozen eggs total. Four each day.

 

[aart]

I now have a 24 sqft coop with three perches, each at least four feet long and a 72 sqft run for the four birds.

Still sound a bit tight. Got pics...coop and run, inside and out?

I'm thinking to change their feeder to this style:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/harris-farms-chicken-feeder-7-lb?cm_vc=-10011

Better than the pipe, but lots will be billed out.
How handy are you?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder.67218/

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2515444

 

[JeffandLori]

Hi Aart,

Thanks for the reply. Updated location to be S. Fl. Current cold snap, however I think this is the first time it's been below mid 50s this year.

Fairly handy. I built the attached from plans from Simple Suburban Living and expanded it to six feet deep rather than four. Coop is 4x6. Run is 8x6 plus area under coop. http://www.simplesuburbanliving.com/2016/03/how-to-build-simple-suburban-chicken.html?m=1

I'll check your feeder link.

 

[aart]

Expanding the run might help.
Plus 'clutter'.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Or you might just have a rogue bully bird.

 

[Folly's place]

I would remove your most aggressive bird too, for a couple of weeks, away from the flock. She might be lower in the pecking order when she returns, and it's worth a try.
We gave up on having any of the production reds years ago, because it seemed that they tended to be feather picking, aggressive individuals, not so nice in the flock.
Consider other breeds...
Mary

 

[JeffandLori]

OK. I watched them some more and there's one that the main aggressor, one that is the main victim and the other two can go either way- but not a lot of either behavior that I saw. Some- but not a lot.

Based on that- the pinless peepers went back on everybody. I'm going to make the bucket type feeder that AArt linked to, and separate the worst offender for about two weeks.

It's kind of a bummer as without the peepers on it was obvious they were hopping up and down off all of the roosts, but with the peepers they don't hardly get on them at all. One roost is a 4' 2x4 wide side up that is 3.5" high, the other roost is another 4' 2x4 wide side up about 6" higher and the last is a 5' 1" dowel rod about another 6" higher yet. All showed signs of use in the two days they had them off.

Two more questions-

1. As one hen is obviously the "odd girl out", I often see three bunched up and her off to the side, and she's the one that got the worst of it, any harm in taking her peepers off? She's not shown any aggression.
2. When I separate the domineering hen, should I put her in her own 4x8 run and coop- basically the old one they were in, or in the 3x4 wire dog kennel? I'm wondering if putting her in the old coop and run would be more "reward" than punishment. Or am I overthinking the psychology of a bird brain?

 

[Mrs. K]

Some birds just don't work out, I would consider letting her go to another flock. Or I would put the peepers back on, I dislike discord in my flock, I solve for peace in the flock.

So you can pull the aggressive one, and see how the others act. If so, that might be the bird to remove. But sometimes, another bird will take over the aggression, in that case I would remove the victim and see how they act.

I read an interesting article here, where someone separated the victim, but in sight of everyone, and left her for some time. She lost the victim demeanor, which seems to bring on attacks. And eventually moved back into the flock.

It can be a trouble some deal.

Mrs K