Hey all! This is my first post but have been reading this site for over 2 years.
I decided almost two years ago on Easter to purchase a dozen chicken.
:
6 went to one house, 6 to another. (all hens, no rooster)
At the other house....
Withiin the past month,
1 "disappeared" (you can hear the fishers screaming around their house )
2 hit by cars
and the last 2 were mauled by something ( we are ssuming the neighbors dog that has been getting lose lately and barking at the coop )
the last one somehow survived.
My birds lately on over 4 plus acres of running around area to "free range" have decided to go across the street and down the road last summer.
The last week before the snow hit, I lost one. No sign but knew there was a fox I spotted lurking in ditch one night about 1/2 mile down the road. So who knows.
I decided that they have to be contained unless they can be closely watched for fear of a traffic accident... insurance blah blah blah.
Not to include that I dont want them all to disappear. I want the eggs.
So...
I decide to take the remaining chicken from them when they offered about 5 days later from the other house.
She did not look good.
She wasn't sick, she just looked like she went through something tragic and was healing well (?).
I put her in the coop and the next day her eye was all blood and the shoulders (both) were just raw bloody pulp.
I have 2 Delwares and 3 New Hampshire Reds. One of the Delwares looked like a Carrie scene.
I was pretty ticked. I knew there was a pecking order but I didnt know that they will literally attempt to peck her to death.
So I seperated them in my makeshift coop.
Its about 5'Lx5'Wx8'H. There are 4 nesting boxes and they all usually use just one of them.
I deicded to cut the length 1/4 so that they would be seperated.
So 5 birds in approx. 3 feet 8 in x 5 feet x 8 feet high with 3 nesting boxes
1 bird in 1 foot 4 in x 5 feet x 8 feet with one nesting box
The 2 of the 5 deliberately go throgh any way they can and mercilessly maul her.
I have reinforced it so now they could try to peck through the fence but she just stays out of their way.
After two days, the bleeding has stopped. Her feathers on her shoulders are just bare and whitish like bones.
Her head is full of black spots...
The kids and I are really rooting and trying hard to defend this one. But I need to know a few things:
The main thing: Will they all eventally get along without killing the 6th bird?
How long do I have to keep her seperated to totally heal and grow her feathers back?
Will she lay eggs again? (No eggs since I've had her)
I was concerned that when lowered their space by a 1/4 that the living crampness would cause stress and less egg production.
Is it necessary for them to see her?
I'm strongly assuming that if they see her and cant get to her that after a while they will just get used to her and she will be able to join the flock without incident.
How long does that take?
I get 4 eggs a day with a curly fry lightbulb giving 12day and 12 night light.
I have a 250w lightbulb for 35low and 45 high vut off switch. We have been well below zero lately and assume that the 6th with little feathers would not do well in such low temperatures.
After TRYING to get them to share one water, I have give the 5 and the one their own waters. When the one tries to drink, one of the 5 will peck it in the face.
Ok.. so with that at the moment. Any pointers?
We do have our heart out to all the birds but were really hoping to bring the 6th into the flock and at peace.
THanks!
I decided almost two years ago on Easter to purchase a dozen chicken.
:
6 went to one house, 6 to another. (all hens, no rooster)
At the other house....
Withiin the past month,
1 "disappeared" (you can hear the fishers screaming around their house )
2 hit by cars
and the last 2 were mauled by something ( we are ssuming the neighbors dog that has been getting lose lately and barking at the coop )
the last one somehow survived.
My birds lately on over 4 plus acres of running around area to "free range" have decided to go across the street and down the road last summer.
The last week before the snow hit, I lost one. No sign but knew there was a fox I spotted lurking in ditch one night about 1/2 mile down the road. So who knows.
I decided that they have to be contained unless they can be closely watched for fear of a traffic accident... insurance blah blah blah.
Not to include that I dont want them all to disappear. I want the eggs.
So...
I decide to take the remaining chicken from them when they offered about 5 days later from the other house.
She did not look good.
She wasn't sick, she just looked like she went through something tragic and was healing well (?).
I put her in the coop and the next day her eye was all blood and the shoulders (both) were just raw bloody pulp.
I have 2 Delwares and 3 New Hampshire Reds. One of the Delwares looked like a Carrie scene.
I was pretty ticked. I knew there was a pecking order but I didnt know that they will literally attempt to peck her to death.
So I seperated them in my makeshift coop.
Its about 5'Lx5'Wx8'H. There are 4 nesting boxes and they all usually use just one of them.
I deicded to cut the length 1/4 so that they would be seperated.
So 5 birds in approx. 3 feet 8 in x 5 feet x 8 feet high with 3 nesting boxes
1 bird in 1 foot 4 in x 5 feet x 8 feet with one nesting box
The 2 of the 5 deliberately go throgh any way they can and mercilessly maul her.
I have reinforced it so now they could try to peck through the fence but she just stays out of their way.
After two days, the bleeding has stopped. Her feathers on her shoulders are just bare and whitish like bones.
Her head is full of black spots...
The kids and I are really rooting and trying hard to defend this one. But I need to know a few things:
The main thing: Will they all eventally get along without killing the 6th bird?
How long do I have to keep her seperated to totally heal and grow her feathers back?
Will she lay eggs again? (No eggs since I've had her)
I was concerned that when lowered their space by a 1/4 that the living crampness would cause stress and less egg production.
Is it necessary for them to see her?
I'm strongly assuming that if they see her and cant get to her that after a while they will just get used to her and she will be able to join the flock without incident.
How long does that take?
I get 4 eggs a day with a curly fry lightbulb giving 12day and 12 night light.
I have a 250w lightbulb for 35low and 45 high vut off switch. We have been well below zero lately and assume that the 6th with little feathers would not do well in such low temperatures.
After TRYING to get them to share one water, I have give the 5 and the one their own waters. When the one tries to drink, one of the 5 will peck it in the face.
Ok.. so with that at the moment. Any pointers?
We do have our heart out to all the birds but were really hoping to bring the 6th into the flock and at peace.
THanks!
