Why they doing this???

[Lovable Chicks]

Wondered if anyone could tell my why my peeps R pulling tail feathers and making others bleed...which then they will keep pecking at them. I have had to separate about 10 of the 38. I don't really have another room for the injured. They have feed, water, grit at all times...We even hung a head of lettuce yesterday for them to peck at and play with (which they finished). They have plenty of room, light, perches and we even got them the tin pans to peck at which sounds like rain falling on a metal roof. Just running out of ideas WHY??

Thought I would add that they R all white leghorns and about 5 weeks old. I think all girls.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Do they have a large, outdoor run to occupy themselves? You state they have plenty of room. How much room? Whenever I raised out a few hundred Leghorn as a young boy, I couldn't wait to get them outside so the pecking would stop.

 

[Lovable Chicks]

No outside run...they R too little aren't they? Maybe I should switch pens with my other ones who don't seem to care if they go out??

 

[write2caroline]

Can you keep a red light on them at all times? I read it helps detract that behavior. I have always used a red light so I have not experienced any kind of feather pulling with the babies.
Caroline

 

[Lovable Chicks]

I can add the red light back but would really hate too, plus the sunlight would be brighter then the red light would be.

 

[write2caroline]

The red light makes it impossible for them to see red so they peck less. _ It neutralizes the color. It could be they are in too small of a space? How old are they? Pecking can be establishing pecking order or just a need for personal space.
Caroline

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
They arev about 5 weeks old to young for pecking order.

 

[dbounds10]

depending on your weather at 5 weeks they should be able to go out in the run. You need 4 sq ft indoors and 10 sq ft outdoors for your girls. If they are cramped or bored, they will pick at each other. If you dont have a run, try to get something temporary that they can go out for a few hours a day and wear themselves out. I used a dog pen that I got from CL for a temp solution while we were finishing the run and coop.

You need to put something on the bloody parts to stop the bleeding or the others will be attrached to it and get going until it gets really bad.

 

[cafarmgirl]

With 38 chicks you'd have to have an awfully large brooder for them to still be comfortable in there at 5 weeks old. What size space are they in?

I would get this group into a run during the day asap so they will have some space and something to do other then pick at each other.
Even though they have food and water available at all times it sounds like they are bored and possibly too crowded, hence your problem.

 

[acy0029]

If you have to much light they will peck each other really bad I had to darken the room mine are in for the same reason. Once I covered the window they stopped pecking each other. I don't know why they don't peck when they spend the day outside.