What I am learning about feather picking and cannibalism

[sad]

I am new here but have been interested in the pecking problem.

Could the problem arise from mites or lice? I read that you should have a "dust bath" available in the coop using diatomatious dirt w/boric acid in the winter time to help keep the "bugs" off the chickens or they might start pecking each other.

When my chicks were little I bought "peck-no-mo" and it worked great to immediately stop any pecking.

 

[basicliving]

Hi !sad

!

I have read that lice/mites can contribute to the problem, but by most accounts, that is usually not the issue. My chickens don't have lice/mites and it didn't start until they began molting. It seems in the majority of incidences, boredom is the key contributing issue.

If your chickens are confined and can't get a dust bath "naturally", I would definitely make sure to add a large pan of dirt to their run or coop.

Welcome again!
Penny

 

[risurocket]

Just found this thread today as I have a Pecking Perpetrator and as I think I know who she is, it has been a very stressful day running in and out of the indoor pen we have for them. Thank you for all your research and time on this!

Mine are 8 weeks old today and we recently changed their location, their food and their temperature. At first they seemed very happy. They have more space, and more things to explore. But I think it freaked them out a little. And I know their food has less protein. I think we changed to grower from chick starter too soon.

My roo and one girl chick are the most pecked (roo has a pea comb which is getting pecked and he's a different color, while the girl is a different color than most of them). I am planning on pine tarring them as I don't have immediate access to Hot Pick and I am trying to keep an eye on Miss Perp. She's a RIR by the way...which seems to be a common breed to peck from reading this thread.

I wouldn't have thought they could be bored in their new space, but I have no idea. I am going to be giving them more protein snacks and a dust bath and getting a new bag of starter to mix in with their new food. Wheee. I can tell you that I have had it with chickens for today.

 

[basicliving]

risurocket - if you know who the perpetrator is, I would really advise removing her and keeping her separate for a while. If you have a dog pen you could put her in that would work fine - or maybe their old brooder? Feed her extra protein for a few days while she is away from the others. Maybe 4 or 5 days if possible.

Unfortunately, feather picking/plucking can become a learned behavior. If you have one doing it, others may learn from her. If you can separate her, that would be the best. Feed her extra protein (cheese, boiled eggs, meat, etc.) and then reintroduce her and watch her closely.

Make sure everyone has things to keep them busy - hide things for them to scratch up. Avoid any snacks that are low in protein. If you feel you must feed snacks, make it black oil sunflower seeds, cheese, boiled eggs, cooked meat, etc. - and all in moderation.

Best of luck.

Penny

 

[onthespot]

I have read on the Homesteading Today forum that picking and canibalism can be greatly reduced by feeding raw liver to the chickens free choice for a few days, or longer if need be. Don't know if it is true, have not had a problem with it, (knock on wood, since I do not free range my birds) but it seems a lot easier solution than running after them and micromanaging their activities and spraying the spot on his back a couple times a day. I am not making light of you or your situation. It would just be terrible if he eventually got an unseen, deeper wound that got infected and/or pecked out huge and you lost him. I am sure my day is coming, as I have nearly fifty birds and do not free range, and they are within an area mostly fifty by eight feet, separated into different areas. I try to make their areas multi-level, with different types of feeding areas, treats, room and obstacles to jump on, which I put feed here and there for them to discover, and keeping a close eye on inter-chicken dynamics. Any time I see anything headed the wrong way, I intervene and move birds to whatever I think will work the best on that given day.

 

[hensonly]

Boy, what a timely post!

I logged on tonight to ask advice about my flock, who yesterday picked one of their number to death! I've had no trouble with picking or cannabalism, but I was away all morning yesterday and when I went out about 2 pm to collect eggs and be sure the water was still liquid, one hen was huddled in the corner of the run, all her behind picked bloody. I chased the others away, threw some sunflower and oatmeal to distract them, and carried the poor injured hen indoors. She was semi concious, I put her in a dog crate on a heating pad wrapped in a towel, while I got out the heat lamp. She opened her eyes a couple of times but that was it. I was afraid to try giving her anything, for fear I'd drown her. I thought maybe if I could get her warm, then maybe, just maybe...

But an hour later she was dead. I was flabbergasted, as everyone was fine when I left in the morning - they'd had their morning scratch treats, fresh water, the tarps that block wind from the run were down so they could see out, I'd given them new shavings just the evening before... and today I see four hens with bare bottoms, and both roos have feathers plucked from the fronts of their necks, one much more than the other. Tomorrow I will go the minute the farm store opens and see if they have the flock block. Either way, I will get scratch grains, and will scramble eggs for the girls.

If anyone has any other suggestions for relieving boredom, I'd be delighted (I give them cabbage, sunflower seed, oatmeal, and cracked corn daily, and buy them lettuce weekly).

I don't have enough dog crates for all of them!!!

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

I had this come up with my roo, but they were going for his wattles and comb. Silkiechicken and a couple others suggested pine tar, which has worked really well, as long as I reapply daily. I've also really tried to toss lots of treats around the run before letting them out (apples, BOSS, scratch, a flake of leafy hay...make sure you have grit!) and that seems to have helped as well.

Good luck, it's really unnerving to have your formerly sweet babies go mean!

-C

 

[risurocket]

Thanks, Penny. I almost know which one is doing the dirty deed. But every time I go in there she blends in with the crowd and I lose her. Tonight or tomorrow I am going to watch again and see if I can catch her and separate her again. I had her once, but she got really agitated in Solitary and kept tipping over the bowl of water. I have to find my other waterer.

I have my two most bloodied in the Infirmary Box until I can get them some pine tar.

I really agree that it is most unnerving to watch them turn so scary. They aren't really being mean, just like frenzied hungry or something. It's scary. I have seen them be mean too, and this isn't it. It's like they are OCD on picking out feathers or something instead of being vicious, and once they draw blood they are like little vampires.

Good Luck everyone with your separate pecking issues.

ETA: Caught Her! I fortunately was tuned into the "I'm being pecked" screech of my chicks and I was able to go out there with DH and within one minute Miss Perp made the rounds of 4 different chicks.

She is now in Solitary. Thanks again Penny for all your research.

 

[chutewoman]

I have also had trouble with cannibalism, and have enjoyed reading the updates you have given. I am hopeful you and I will both succeed!! I have lost two this winter due to this. ( All but one of my girls have had their bottoms picked almost clean. All of the remaining five are doing this to each other. I put pine tar on all their bottoms and above the tail area, even on the one that had very little damage. This was about 7 days ago. It took about 3 days of gooping them up in the morning for them to decide they do not like the taste of feathers. Their bottoms are healing up now and I do see some new feathers appearing. ) I have reapplied tar on the ones with the new feathers and bare bottoms this morning just for a precautionary measure. I must have my hens penned up, for in our two attempts to free range we lost 15 hens. ( They are doing good so far this week, they are acting more like normal chickens and not blood starved cannibals. My plan is to just keep up the pine tar, diet and vitamins until spring. My hens are red and black sex-links.

 

[basicliving]

It just amazes me how common this issue is in so many flocks. I hope each of you can get it under control. It is not easy!! But it can be done.

I tried so many different things and while I think most helped, I have to say the one that I am certain made all the difference was the fact that I can free-range them. I know that is not an option for everyone, but if you can do it, I believe you will have far greater success.

As for the protein added to diet, I did that as well. I did not go all out and provide meat meals for them, but I did cut out all high carb snacks until I had it under control, and now they only get those very occasionally (bread, scratch, etc). I only gave them black oil sunflower seeds scattered through out their run because that is where the pecking/picking seemed to occur with the most frequency. Even though they free range, they like to hang out in their run fairly regularly. I sometimes gave them scrambled eggs, yogurt, feed mixed with water and meat, etc.

I have had no issues with pecking/picking for quite a while now. While there may be many factors that contribute to this behavior, I am convinced that boredom is the main culprit. It can definitely be a learned behavior, so once one begins, others are very likely to join in.

Give them as much space as possible, give them things to keep them busy, and feed as much protein as you can. If you can identify one in particular that seems to be the instigator of the pecking/plucking, separate that one for 4 or 5 days and up the protein. If it continues once you integrate her back into the flock, you may have to consider re-homing or culling. If you re-home, I believe you should definitely tell the truth about why you are letting her go. Don't let your issue become some one else's as well.

ETA: I have read that many people have had great success with the pine tar. I have some myself, although I haven't had to use it and hope I don't! My concern is that while the pine tar may stop the pecking/picking while you are applying it, what will happen when you quit if you do not change the conditions that contributed to the pecking/picking in the first place? I think applying the pine tar is a great idea if you also make changes to keep it from occurring once you quit using the pine tar.

BTW - I still use the Flock Blocks and they still love them! I also continue to use the Avia Charge 2000. It seems expensive when you order it, but it lasts a long time as you only use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water.

Best of luck!
Penny