4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Big Dave]

Hi, I’ve got two new chickens – the starter pack…! A Pepper & Ranger, with the Pepper sitting at top of the peaking order which is really starting to take its toll now on the poor Ranger.

 

It was just some feather plucking at first but now there are some really deep gouges across the breast and neck – she’s also beginning to look lethargic.

 

The rangers the youngest and not laying yet, the peppers been laying around two weeks now and I was wondering do I add some more chickens to divide its attention.

 

I’ve separated them for now so the ranger can have a few days to recuperate…

 

Any advance gratefully revived…

[Egluntyne]

You could try anti peck spray, or Bumpabits/anti peck rings on the aggressor.

[Carol U]

If possible I would keep them separate during the day, but where they can still see one another. At night, when they've gone to roost, you could tuck them in together - separating them again in the morning. Gradually, they can freerange with supervision, so that the victim can get away if necessary. Eventually it will all settle down and you will know when they are safe to be left alone together. Good luck!

[Trapper]

Big Dave

 

Boy do I know what you are going through.

 

I started with 5 birds 2 Pepperpots, 2 Gingernuts and 1 white star, I had to have one Gingernut put down because one of my Pepperpots attacked it so baddly that the poor thing gave up the will to live.

 

The the Pepperpot started on the ofther 3 so i gave the bird away thinking that things would get better. Came home tonight and the poor gingernut looks like she has been through world war 3. She is in a terrible state and will have to visit the vets tomorrow.

 

It seems that many people have had a problem recently. I'm also calling Omlet tomorrow as how long/far can this go on. Just wait untill i have one bird in a Cube with 3 extensions. Crazy.

 

I have been told by many people that it is very rare for this to happen but lightening doesn't strike twice in 5 days or does it.

 

The idea of getting hens was to have a back garden hobby but i'm not able to keep them seperate during the day the injured hen is in a rabbit run but can't stay in there untill she getts better it could be weeks and a dought that the poor thing would last that long.

 

Their are many things to do, sprays, Bumper Bits. Email Barbara she is a great help and has many ideas.

 

Hope that your Hen gets better and that the situation does not deteriorate to my level for the Hens sake.

 

Good Luck

 

Trapper

[Abbey Road Girl]

Trapper, I'm so sorry to hear that your distress and trauma seem to have continued.

 

Have no practical advice to offer, but I send you wishes for a positive outcome.

 

Have become a bit worried about the four Pepperpots due to arrive at mine next week.

[superjules]

Goodness me Trapper, you've had such a rough ride with those birds. I'm so sorry to hear that the problem has not been solved with the departure of Borat. You must be tearing your hair out.

 

If it were me I'd be tempted to ask omlet to take them all away and get a totally new batch as I'm wondering if they have learnt the behaviour through what they saw Borat do.

 

I sincerely hope the situation improves very soon.

 

BigDave - Carol U's advice is the path I would follow in your situation. Keep them separate but within sight and smell until all healed up.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Very sorry to hear what you're going through, Big Dave and Trapper . I had always assumed if the chickens had come from the same place and arrived together, they would automatically get on .

 

I've heard that spraying all the birds with weak tea tree solution or similar may help as then they all smell the same - but don't know if that's really only when you're introducing a new one. Probably irrelevant as all yours came together from the same place .

 

How are things today? Any better?

[Snowy]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that a lot of these cases are due to the pepperpots rather than the gingernuts?

 

I know that the gingernuts are bred to have a very docile temperament so that they will cope OK with the battery cages, whereas pepperpots were bred to be used in a free range system. I only have one pepperpot, she is top dog, but is definitely a lot more grumpy than the others.

 

I'm sorry to hear of the problems you are both having. I hope you get them sorted and that it doesn't put you off keeping hens completely, they really are very rewarding when they behave!

[superjules]

I'm starting to wonder what they are fed before they are sold - I'm thinking maybe it's mash rather than pellets as I've heard switching can cause behavioural problems.

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that a lot of these cases are due to the pepperpots rather than the gingernuts?

 

It's interesting that you make this comment because we've been thinking the same thing. The problems posted nearly always seem to involve the pepperpots (corect us someone if we're wrong).

 

We have a Bovans Nera and it's described by our suppliers website as docile, but she has been the more assertive of the three from the off!(early days).

[Gallina]

My original Pepperpot pulled feathers, but it was my second Gingernut who turned cannibal. I have found that both types of Omlet hen can be pretty vicious.

 

I have had no trouble with my two older pure breed hens, and my theory is that this is mainly a hybrid problem. Has anyone on this forum ever had a pure-breed cannibal?

 

My four new pure-breeds have been very good so far, but they are too young to judge yet.

[ajm200]

When our omlet girls arrived, Roy told me to just let them have pellets for a few days as they'd only just been introduced to them.

 

I was also told that mine were quite young for Omlet hens so maybe that'd only just moved to layers from growers. I didn't ask enough questions

 

Saying that, so far mine have been very well behaved

[superjules]

When our omlet girls arrived, Roy told me to just let them have pellets for a few days as they'd only just been introduced to them.

 

So if they've only just been introduced to pellets, it sounds like they are raised on mash. Interesting indeed.

[koo2cat]

Hi Big Dave

 

We had a similar problem with one of my rangers attacking one of my Pepperpots. I didn't realise it was going on until the pecked chicken had a nasty bleeding wound on it's back and once they draw blood the attacker will just keep on until the other chicken gives up and dies (sad but true).

 

I have to tell you we have a happy outcome here! This is what we did and I hope it may help you!

 

1) We seperated the bleeding chicken from the others - or you could separate the bully but make sure they can still see each other. We made a makeshift pen alongside the cube run but you could just put bamboo canes across the eglu/cube run which would work just as well.

 

2) The bleeding chicken was kept inside our house for one night inside a catbox to give it some peace.

 

3) We obtained some Stockholm Tar from Omlet and painted it on the wound of the injured hen and also another hen that had fallen victim too although not as bad. This stuff really smells and really put off the pecking hen in fact it wouldn't go within 2 foot of the painted hens! It also acts like an antiseptic which helps to heal the wound. We repeated this for the next 3 days which broke the habit.

 

4) We put up a peckablock (obtained from Domestic Wildfowl trust - online) and also gave them plenty of broccoli stalks to peck at and mixed corn to scrat about for which helps to keep them busy.

 

5) We also let them free range as much as we can when we are around.

 

I am pleased to say that we now have 4 happy laying hens who get on very well and are as happy as....well chickens in muck! There is still a bit of gentle pecking which is all part of normal chicken life - they seem to do it in an affectionate way now - from what I can see and if it does get out of hand the Stockholm Tar will come out again!

 

I wish you lots of luck - it isn't a nice thing to deal with but wanted you to know we have had a happy outcome and sometimes these things do workout with a bit of help in the end!

 

Cat

[LJ's Chooks]

Its cruel to see, but i have to say from experience it sometimes just happens and no matter how much stockholm tar or purple spray or tea tree oil, there seems like nothing helps. But things do calm down, sometimes it just has to hit rock bottom - we lost our columbine and our chickens seemed to go mad for a few days. We couldnt isolate the ring leader as they had all gone mad and really just had to hope for the best. We had bumper bits on standby, but letting them free range seems to have calmed them right down, and now there is just a little bit of a stir when they are put back in their cube run in the evening.

 

I wish we had been able to save cloud, but I think she was too weak, and they new that. Chickens may seem cruel, but sometimes I think there is an underlying issue that they are aware of and seem to need to oust the little one - or that's how i have come to terms with it. I think Cloud was too young and just not well from the start,

 

I hope all goes well, and I'm sure things will improve.

 

Trapper - you still seem like you're having a rough time after re-homing Borat. I hope things are better today.

[chickflick]

just to add i had a similar thing (on a much lesser scale not nearly as bad as your problem sounds) with one chicken pulling out the others feathers seemingly just for fun!! This has stopped now which coincided exactly with letting them free range a lot more in the garden- i think she was bored and had a bad habit.

[TAJ]

I have a blackrock (same as a Pepperpot) from the moment she arrived she tried to be top chicken, but she wasn;t the biggest and my Bluebelle just stood taller than her and after a week the blackrock settled to be no. 2 chook.

 

I know trapper has had a terrible time, but it didn't start until after 2 weeks - keeping them busy seems to be key. If you were trapped in a room (whatever size) with two other people with nothing to do the focus is only on them - in chickens that is pecking/attacking in some cases. But with veg hung to grab, mixed corn on the floor to scratch up, something to perch on, mirrors to look at, etc they are distracted - or if free ranging there is so much to discover.

 

If you keep them busy and distracted most (obviously there will be exceptions) will be more interested in those other things as opposed fighting. Peperpots / blackrocks are made for free ranging and mine is pretty friendly and certainly does not rule the roost.

 

Tracy

[Trapper]

Big Dave

 

How goes things? Hope all is settling down.

 

Is your hen still being picked on?

 

Keep us updated.

 

Trapper

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

I have a blackrock (same as a Pepperpot)

 

We understand that, althought the Bovans Neras seem to be the same hybridisation as the Black Rock's, the only genuine Black Rocks come from a farm at Benderloch in Scotland (see the link) below)

 

http://www.blackrockhens.co.uk/

 

The breeder we got our BN from takes the view that they are different also.

[Snowy]

I have a blackrock (same as a Pepperpot)

 

We understand that, althought the Bovans Neras seem to be the same hybridisation as the Black Rock's, the only genuine Black Rocks come from a farm at Benderloch in Scotland (see the link) below)

 

http://www.blackrockhens.co.uk/

 

The breeder we got our BN from takes the view that they are different also.

 

They are both a RIR x barred plymouth rock, but the parent stock will be controlled and refined by the breeders. Hence the parent stock RIR and BPR for the black rocks will have been refined for particular qualities and characteristics by the Black Rock breeders, the same as the parent stock for the pepperpots/bovans neras. So the same cross, but from different lineage Does that make sense? I have a book that explains it better - will dig it out

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

That makes sense and is helpful Snowy Howells. Our breeder made the comment to us when we visited originally & spoke of Black Rocks that they can have a tendency to be a little on the aggressive side. They themselves breed Bovans Neras and state in their website that they are docile - an example of breeding for characteristics though using the same breeds to hybridise?

[TAJ]

Well my 'blackrock' (sold as a blackrock & called that in their website livestock section) came from Worcestershire, not Scotland - Domestic Fowl Trust - she has been fine, as I said and in selecting breeds they said she was a good breed for a 1st timer.

 

Quote from Domestic Fowl Trust, 'BLACK ROCK – This is a commercial hybrid, basically a Rhode Island Red crossed with Barred Plymouth Rock. They lay approximately 300 + brown eggs in the first year and will continue to lay well for another three years or so. These birds are an excellent beginner’s bird, particularly for children.' they also have Bova Neras, which they just describe as similar.

 

 

Tracy

[Steph101]

Well our pepperpot is our star chicken. She has the best temperament, and has laid an egg EVER DAY since she started without a day off!

She's also the boss chicken. The bully in our flock (bullies the new girl, a hyline brown) is a gingernut ranger. We've only got one pepperpot, but she's great, and I wish we'd got more like her!