They've started pecking each other!!!

[Lil Bit North Farm]

Help!! We got 10 pullets in July and 10 more beginning of September. Kept them separated for a week with hardware cloth while they got used to each other and all went smoothly. There's been no issues till yesterday. I think they may be starting to molt but they are pecking at each other like crazy and they've NEVER done that before

 

[LaFleche]

Help!! We got 10 pullets in July and 10 more beginning of September. Kept them separated for a week with hardware cloth while they got used to each other and all went smoothly. There's been no issues till yesterday. I think they may be starting to molt but they are pecking at each other like crazy and they've NEVER done that before

How much space do they have to get out of each others faces? Are there enough bushes or other objects in your run for them to hide behind or roost on?
How many feeders and water dispensers are there?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What are you feeding and how big is their space

 

[aart]

How much space do they have to get out of each others faces? Are there enough bushes or other objects in your run for them to hide behind or roost on?
How many feeders and water dispensers are there?

These^^^ questions are needing answers.

Dimensions and pics of coop and run would help greatly here.
Also the ages, in weeks or months.

 

[Lil Bit North Farm]

How much space do they have to get out of each others faces? Are there enough bushes or other objects in your run for them to hide behind or roost on?
How many feeders and water dispensers are there?

They have an old chair and branches to roost... no bushes unfortunately but we built everything for about 5 more chickens then we have. There are 4 feeders and two waterers

 

[Lil Bit North Farm]

They've gotten along amazingly since september until now.

 

[LaFleche]

They have an old chair and branches to roost... no bushes unfortunately but we built everything for about 5 more chickens then we have. There are 4 feeders and two waterers

Tell us how the dimensions of your run and coop are. 20 pullets need quite a lot of coop and run space to be comfortable, and even more so when coming into lay, as they will then start to establish a new pecking order.

How old are your pullets exactly and what breeds do you have?

What exactly are you feeding? In case the feed does not contain enough protein for their actual needs (molting, POL etc.) they might start feather pecking, which could even lead to cannibalism later on.

 

[LaFleche]

The minimum space requirements per bird are 4 squarefeet in the coop and 10 squarefeet of runspace, more would be better.

Maybe you could post some pictures of your set up to give us some ideas on how to possibly improve the situation.

 

[Lil Bit North Farm]

Tell us how the dimensions of your run and coop are. 20 pullets need quite a lot of coop and run space to be comfortable, and even more so when coming into lay, as they will then start to establish a new pecking order.

How old are your pullets exactly and what breeds do you have?

What exactly are you feeding? In case the feed does not contain enough protein for their actual needs (molting, POL etc.) they might start feather pecking, which could even lead to cannibalism later on.

Well it has 18% protein

The minimum space requirements per bird are 4 squarefeet in the coop and 10 squarefeet of runspace, more would be better.

Maybe you could post some pictures of your set up to give us some ideas on how to possibly improve the situation.

Well I'm thinking it's more the protein / melting. We're adding more roosts, etc in the hopes of curing any boredom. And adding some more protein for molting.

 

[Lil Bit North Farm]

Well it has 18% protein

Well I'm thinking it's more the protein / melting. We're adding more roosts, etc in the hopes of curing any boredom. And adding some more protein for molting.

They actually have 4 sq feet inside and about 13 outside ... the only thing that has recently changed is a roof was added to their run for protection from rain and snow