RainyDayChickens
Chirping
- Apr 19, 2022
- 33
- 30
- 64
Winters a couple months away for me, and when you get 4+ feet of snow and your chickens don't want to leave the coop, your stuck with a coop full of bored, feather pecking, cold chickens.
Last year my girls tore each others feathers out, so all year I've had not so pretty hens. And this year I dont want to make that mistake, I dont want ugly hens all spring and summer while I wait for them to molt just so they can pluck themselves all over again.
I dont mind some mild pecking, but when half the flock looks like naked necks or have a back full of missing feathers I start to wonder if I should even keep them.
I've checked for mites, lice, and any pests and I haven't seen any, my girls are all great at hygiene.
My flock consists of 24 chickens, 1 rooster who's a beifelder, a sweet boy who's scared of most anything, we got him last month when his previous owner already had a good rue and didnt need him.
and 23 hens of all kinds. 9 are chicks from this spring, and the rest are a year old or older.
I'm hoping Fabio (the rue) can help with the pecking, but I need more ideas for boredom busters in my coop, there's plenty of space, and I shovel snow so they can go outside, but even then they will peck and peck.
I've tried peepers (pinless) and hated the effects it had on the few hens who I tried it on, they would get dirt and dust clogged up on their noses, and overall had a hard time free-ranging.
So now I plan on loading my hens up on good treats all winter so they can be fat and happy without the need to rip eachothers beards and feathers out (yes, several of my americanas lost their luxury beards that winter)
But anymore help is GREATLY appreciated, fun game ideas for them, easy to make treats, or even ways I can get them to come out into the snow. Thank you!
Last year my girls tore each others feathers out, so all year I've had not so pretty hens. And this year I dont want to make that mistake, I dont want ugly hens all spring and summer while I wait for them to molt just so they can pluck themselves all over again.
I dont mind some mild pecking, but when half the flock looks like naked necks or have a back full of missing feathers I start to wonder if I should even keep them.
I've checked for mites, lice, and any pests and I haven't seen any, my girls are all great at hygiene.
My flock consists of 24 chickens, 1 rooster who's a beifelder, a sweet boy who's scared of most anything, we got him last month when his previous owner already had a good rue and didnt need him.
and 23 hens of all kinds. 9 are chicks from this spring, and the rest are a year old or older.
I'm hoping Fabio (the rue) can help with the pecking, but I need more ideas for boredom busters in my coop, there's plenty of space, and I shovel snow so they can go outside, but even then they will peck and peck.
I've tried peepers (pinless) and hated the effects it had on the few hens who I tried it on, they would get dirt and dust clogged up on their noses, and overall had a hard time free-ranging.
So now I plan on loading my hens up on good treats all winter so they can be fat and happy without the need to rip eachothers beards and feathers out (yes, several of my americanas lost their luxury beards that winter)
But anymore help is GREATLY appreciated, fun game ideas for them, easy to make treats, or even ways I can get them to come out into the snow. Thank you!
and they don't seem to mind one bit. They come out all day long, dust bathe and just enjoy the fresh air-and when the sun comes out it is like they are on the beach soaking up that sun. 
