I hope everyone is making it through the smoke ok. It seems to have cleared here for the moment, but that's only as long as we keep getting winds from off-shore. I've suddenly got a lot of nasty hens pecking at new feathers. Two black copper marans hens are like pin cushions with all the new feather growth and a few of the others won't leave them alone. I put on vetricyn and then No Peck (strong bad taste plus blue). Last night I moved them to a different coop. There are two coops in the same fenced area, so they can choose at night, but in the morning there are a few hours where the door opens but they're still locked in the small enclosure attached to the coop before I get out and feed. That close quarters morning time seems to be the worst for pecking.
Anyway, moved the two hens away from the worst peckers last night. This morning they were doing ok, but the rooster, over with the "bad" hens, had a bloody leg and toe. One white marans hen was relentlessly after him. She always gets caught because I can see the blood on her, the meanie.
I'm currently out of ideas. Anyone have suggestions? My extra housing just got switched up for a special needs rooster, so I don't have an easy way to separate anyone. I'm not keen for the hours of work it would take to get something set up.
Anyway, moved the two hens away from the worst peckers last night. This morning they were doing ok, but the rooster, over with the "bad" hens, had a bloody leg and toe. One white marans hen was relentlessly after him. She always gets caught because I can see the blood on her, the meanie.
I'm currently out of ideas. Anyone have suggestions? My extra housing just got switched up for a special needs rooster, so I don't have an easy way to separate anyone. I'm not keen for the hours of work it would take to get something set up.
head - they loved it!
