Stupid Chickens are at it again bloody vent

[LoneCowboy]

These chickens are making me CRAZY!! One of my EEer's (I don't think it's the same one as last time) was getting her vent pecked to a bloody mess. Lucky I found her, and grabbed her and brought her inside.

I cleaned it up, washed it good with warm water and rinsed it with a weak mixture of Betadine and put her in the hospital cage.

No prolapes, but I think what happened is that she bled a little when she laid her egg today, and then all the chickens went after her.

Hope I did the right thing. I'm afraid if this keeps up, I'm going to end up being a certified chicken vet.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

hey, at least if you do become a chicken vet, you won't have to pay as many vet bills...

 

[LoneCowboy]

Well, we have a rule at this house. I we can't afford to go to the doctor, neither can the animals

Just pray that nothing serious happens to them, I have a weak stomach

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

What would Buddha do?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

LoneCowboy, do they have any new toys? I'm having trouble with a pullet the others have pecked her feathers off. Right now I have her in hospital due to the fact that they have plucked her clean three times trying the different methods to stop this. I've read another post that speculates the reason so many are having trouble this winter is that they are getting bored and maybe trying new toys will help. I found some colored metal Christmas ornaments on clearence (they look like springs) that I'm going to through in when I introduce her back. I've also got an infant mirror I'm going to hang for them at the sametime in hopes that this will distract them. First I'm going to wait until she grows her feathers back. The poor girl has started and had them pecked out enough times.

Good luck!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Toys? I tried hanging an ear of corn and they didn't bother, too much work for them. Lazy fuzzy butts! When I take it down, and give it to them, they all went crazy for it. What do you consider toys? I'd be happy to get them something to occupy them, but what?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Anything that is tough enough to standup to their pecking (at least for a while) and that won't be harmful to them is fair game I would say. This last summer an old tent stake got into their run somehow (I think one of the DD's) and they had a ball with that. It's still in there but, I think they are bored with it.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Out of curiousity, what breeds are doing the pecking? I have an occasional hen bleed a bit on an egg.. and have never had any pecking problems like that. ARG! That would drive me CRAZY!

I know it's a horrible time of year for it, but would it be possible (after this girl recovers) to seperate out the ones doing the PECKING? If you give it a bit, then reintroduce, hopefully they'll have fallen in the 'order' and will be less likely to go after the others.. just a thought. As I said, this time of year STINKS for having to make a seperate coop/run.

Darn chickens and their exclusive societies

 

[picklespickles]

i'm sure you already thought about this, but what i always think about with pecking is maybe lack of space. but i know some of them have to be cooped up. if they are cooped up a lot for winter, could you stick in tree branches or something, a really good pile of them? it is one way to make a great deal amount of both hiding place, exploring space and then places to roost and hang out. a several foot pile that is not closely packed so that there is room to skedaddle in between can be same as adding ten more feet to their area.

 

[LoneCowboy]

They have lots of space, it's a big 8X8 coop with only 13 reg. size chickens and a much larger run. I think they are lacking something in their diet. I've started them on Avia Charge a few days ago. I'm hoping that helps. I just think it was the blood that got them going. But I do think they are bored too.

Those doing the pecking are red sex-links.