What happened to my chickens butts??!!!!! (pics)

[ninny]

I went out to give my chickens food and water and found this! What's going on?

What should i do for them? I put them back in the brooder by themselves.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Looks like they have been picked.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
That is exactly what I'm thinking.

How big of an area do you have your chickens/chicks in? Do they have ample room?

Picking is usually a sign of overcrowding.

 

[ninny]

Quote:
What do you mean picked?

 

[Emzyyy]

pecked at

 

[Chicky Tocks]

You have some meanies in your pen.

 

[ninny]

Quote:
That is exactly what I'm thinking.

How big of an area do you have your chickens/chicks in? Do they have ample room?

Picking is usually a sign of overcrowding.

They have tons of room to run. If they needed more space they would be free ranging.

What can i do for them? They are by themselves now with their heat lamp back and grit and some cat food. The cat food is so they get more protein to grow them feathers back. Should i put any meds on them?

 

[hoosiersphynx]

I just had the same problem with my hens. I got some pine tar from TSC and put some on the skin of the hen that was getting pecked and the other hen is not longer pecking at her. It smells really bad and has a very bad taste also. If she pecks her she will not do it again. I hope this works.
Rebecca

 

[Percheronmom]

Do you have a rooster? Looks like what happens when my rooster mounts the chickens. Then the other hens peck the area where the feathers break. I use BlueKote for the wound (it heals the area and helps deter the other chickens from pecking - it's blue so it disguises the wound too). BlueKote can be found at TSC or any other equine place usually.

If its a rooster or just the hens pecking you can make a 'chicken saddle' very easily to do. There are no sew options out of fleece that work great.

 

[thechickenchick]

That happened to mine when I put the teenagers in with the adult hens. I put them in too soon. I quickly grabbed all 5 and took them back to the brooder. I waited another 2 weeks and tried again. This time I had no problems. Once they are a certian size it seems the adults hardley even notice they are there. Could this be the case or have these chickens always been in that pen?