The Brown Clan Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 not sure how to handle this one , as ( i feel a ramble coming on ) , HELP PLEASE SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE OF BULLYING CHICKENS Wilma was being bullied by Peebles , so tried anti peck spray (my chook likes the taste) so ordered bumperbits ( these worked for almost 3 weeks and then Peebles worked out how to still peck and pull feathers out of wilma then betty been unwell is on the mend now although not laid for over a week( i think due to strees of situation , and today i have found Wilma now can also pull feathers with bumperbit so have Peebles pecking wilma and both peebles and wilma pecking betty both pecked chooks have bald backs ( which have been sprayed purple) and betty screams everytime she is pecked ) they are also pecking her legs aswell !!! what do I do now ?have a puppy crate if needed but don't know who to remove or for how long etc ... girls all been together since day 1 , am at my wits end please help me as all of you who have witnessed bullying its awfully upsetting ... have been trying rooster tactics with Peebles maybe need to be more firm !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastedblue Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 we had a similar situation for about the first 2 months, Bluebelle pecking both, Blackrock pecking Sussex and Sussex looking very sorry for herself it eventually subsided once they'd sorted out the "pecking" order (no pun intended) now Sussex stands up to them both and Blackrock is bottom of the pecking order no doubt once the chicks grow and are introduced to the run this will all start again I was told to try using a water pistol/supersoaker but never got round to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 13, 2008 Author Share Posted August 13, 2008 Thank you Toastedblue, have been trying waterpistol when I am out in the garden (have 18 month old daughter) so am watching her aswell!!! Pebbles is scared of it so think it is working with her my eldest is on chicken watch when i am otherwise engaged, wish weather would improve so could be out all day as was before problem started !! . Does anyone know how long this will continue for ? ( have had them for nearly 2 months now and things getting worse not better ) they have cabbage and seed block hanging from run and free range on average 4/5 hours a day and are in eglu run with convertor when not . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Have you tried Ukadex spray? The most evil smelling stuff, but it does have good results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 do they pick on each other while free ranging or just in the run? how do they behave while free ranging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Sorry I can't offer advice as never had bullying but just wanted to offer sympathy . It sounds horrible but I hope they sort themselves out soon. Chicken-keeping can be fun - just hold on to that thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi everyone , Poet its only when in their run it happens so far when free ranging they are fine happy chickens . ANH am trying to hold on to the idea that its fun ( it was to start with ) Egluntine will order some ukadex was putting it off ( coz everyone says it smells horrific) to see if things settle but i don't think they will. Do you think that i will need to seperate them i don't think it happens at night after the usual scuffles of who is gonna roost where Many thanks for your help a sad Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I seem to have a similar issue as The Brown Clan. Several months back Babs (Ex-bat with baldy botty) had her backside pecked till it bled EVERYWHERE by Gladys (Who I'm considering changing her name to Atilla the Hen). I put this down to Babs occasionally laying softies with shell hanging out, combined with a pink pulsating vent - too tempting foe Gladys to ignore! I tried anti peck spray (Johnsons - from pet shop), I tried bumper bit on Glad but her beak is so stubby from being de-beaked in the battery farm that she couldn't eat so I took it off. I put Gladys in solitary for a week to snap her out it. Babs healed and still has purple knickers and she is now moulting so hopefully her baldy botty won't be such a target. All was well until I noticed Mabels botty last night. She looked a bit messy so on closer inspection I discover the same type wound - the 'lip' of her vent all scabby and a few feather stubs close to that. She had the fullest frilly knickers of the lot! So now suspicion goes back to Gladys. Mabel has purple knickers too now and I'll be watching them like a hawk. The only thing i can think of now is ukadex or letting Gladys go. A friend has a small holding with a cockerel that'd keep her in order. I don't want to do that but I hate to see the other girls suffer from Gladys who is obviously emotionally scared from her battery days. Unless anyone else has any ideas? Sorry for highjacking your thread Brown Clan - it seems we have the same possessed chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 No Probs stoice, if anyone has more advice and help the better really and I really sympathise with you Am also gonna try ukadex if that dosen't work am gonna have to let Pebbles go although don't think anyone will want to introduce a bully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piptiddlepip Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Can't really help as mine were not bullied to that extent - but you have my sympathy. I've been stressed out over hte last 5 days by my four but due to wonderful advice given on here everything seems ok now. The only thing I can think of I did that might have helped is dominating my bully chicken by pushing her gently down now and then and now she realises I am boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Other thing to try is "Bumper bits" - a little device that fits over the beak. They can still eat but cannot peck and feather pull other birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Other thing to try is "Bumper bits" - a little device that fits over the beak. They can still eat but cannot peck and feather pull other birds. I'm afraid they can SarahJo mine have been wearing bumper bits for over a month now it stopped it initially but they have worked out how to peck and pull whilst wearing them!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi everyone , Poet its only when in their run it happens so far when free ranging they are fine happy chickens . ... okay, so it's something about being in the run that makes it happen. Have you got more than one food station? bullying often occurs over food. We had to put 3 seperate food and water stations in (amongst other things) to stop the bullying. Can you do that? We went thru this in the early weeks with Maud, don't give in just yet. Maud is top hen but she's calmed down and looks after her flock and is the cuddliest chicken ever now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi everyone , Poet its only when in their run it happens so far when free ranging they are fine happy chickens . ... okay, so it's something about being in the run that makes it happen. Have you got more than one food station? bullying often occurs over food. We had to put 3 seperate food and water stations in (amongst other things) to stop the bullying. Can you do that? Will do so as only have one at mo, and have ordered some ukadex aswell am determined to make them happy chickens Many thanks Mel x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 i've been thru this so have more tips if needed, we'll sort it out, don't worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Thanks, i love this forum its a godsend for me , Ilove em soo much and its just upsetting to see them do this to each other Hopfully they will be friends again soon and I'm sure i'll be asking of your advice again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I'll give you a few ideas up front, just in case... if you feed layers pellets, consider trying them with layers mash. Mash takes longer to eat and keeps them busy. You could gradually wean them over to mash by mixing it with the pellets and then gradually reducing the amount of pellets as they get used to the mash. We use mash for that reason and because it's easier to mix supplement into mash. Always make sure you put out more food than they will eat, so they know they don't have to fight for food. Get some corn on the cob and cut it into chucnks (remove the fibrous bits) and place them in various areas of the run, if you have 3 chooks then I'd try and cut it into 6 chunks if you can. That should keep them busy. Hang a peck a bell, we got ours from pets at home, it's a large one meant for garden birds, that's another thing to keep them occupied. Worst comes to the worst, get a bit of expanding trellis from a garden centre and put it across the run so you can seperate whichever one is bullying at the time, just make sure the little madam has some food and water. If she can see the others but cant get to them, hopefully that will help calm her down. Let me know how you get on, we managed to work it out so I have every hope for you, good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Mine have a food station each and two water pots between 4 chooks, I have a pecka block (Which they ignore), sweetcorn cobs and a cage with veg leaves hanging in the run for distractions. I give them mash and pellets ad lib during the day and porridge concoction in the evening (In several bowls to deter squabbles) I've even seperated my bully to snap her out of it which has obviously worked for a while but now botties just seem more inviting again. One thing i noticed about Mabel the other day which might have drawn attention to her back side was.. ahem, sorry about this, she looked constipated (Is that possible in a chicken?) She was trying to push out a poo but couldn't quite manage all of it and seemed to be straining a bit. Do you think that is what made her bum a target? I wouldn't have thought it possible considering the amount they produce! Could i be giving too much bokashi? she gets greens too so I'd have thought it would have evened it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 ....One thing i noticed about Mabel the other day which might have drawn attention to her back side was.. ahem, sorry about this, she looked constipated (Is that possible in a chicken?) She was trying to push out a poo but couldn't quite manage all of it and seemed to be straining a bit. Do you think that is what made her bum a target? .... that sounds like she was trying to lay a soft egg to me. The others would definitely be interested as they love to eat soft eggs. Are you sure it was a poo? Was she listless beforehand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Nope, definately poop. Brown, icky stuff! Can't mistake it. Half cmae out, half still there then went back in (Sorry about this if your eating!) She's perky and has never had a softie yet though. Babs, my other girl who had her botty pecked a few months ago is prone to them though so i guess the aggressor has learnt that that's where soft eggs come from on any of the other girls. Maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
