Totally Stressed flock and what I'm trying so far? pinless peepers may be last hope! long long read

[hollys chooks]

awww lucky kitty, mine attack any cats but my own, even full grown ones and small dogs!

mine don't get that brave, but i have seen a neighbourhood cat wandering across the yard with a chook following it. and when the same tiny kitty came back a few months later all grown up the girls ignored it completely. i guess it depends how they feel on the day.

 

[azygous]

I'm glad you're seeing some improvement after installing the peepers on the problem hens. I can sympathize as I've been through what you're dealing with. You might read my thread if you haven't already. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697052/i-think-i-found-a-miracle-cure-for-feather-picking

I tried everything, and was quite at my wits end. Even peepers had quit working. Some friends were talking about this feed supplement that had solved behavior problems in their dogs, and I thought, why not try it on chickens? Well, it took seven weeks, but the transformation in the trouble makers was astounding.

In short, I strongly suspect that a lot of the behavior problems we see in our flocks may be caused by poorly absorbed nutrients. Indeed, not only did my biggest problem hen stop her destructive behavior, but at 25 weeks of age, she has actually grown larger! She's happy and calm and doesn't pick on the others anymore. I've been able to remove the peepers from the other trouble makers, too. The only conflicts I see now are just the benign pecking order stuff.

This supplement takes a month and a half before you'll see results, but it's sure been worth it for me.

 

[Rhoise]

This supplement takes a month and a half before you'll see results, but it's sure been worth it for me.

hmm interesting? I wouldn't doubt feather picking might be nutritional. I'm pretty sure my situation is hormonal/stress related, they free ranged most all days all summer and just after some started to lay eggs, the kids went back to school and I started to lock them up so they'd quit laying eggs around the yard and be safe. This triggered the bullying behavior. I'm hoping with the shorter days and the cold coming on they won't be so aggitated and quit their nonsence. The RIR's seem to be the worst(they stick together and are very dominant pushy birds) I really would like to try to work things out if we can, they are beautiful, and lay gorgeous eggs!