Will hoey

[carrie]

This is my first post, last week I got 3 chickens, 2 are 13 weeks and 1 is 11 weeks. They all came from the same seller and have been together since day old chicks. I think one of the 13 weekers (Layla- a light sussex) is pulling out the tail feathers of the other 13 weeker (Henrietta-copper black). I thought Henrietta seemed to be top chick. What do you think and what can I do?

[Nats]

Sounds nasty. I'm new to this too but wonder if it's something to do with moulting? An artical in a poultry mag said that other birds can then find the re-growth attractive and peck at it.

 

Hopefully somene else with plenty of knowledge will be able to help on this site.

 

Good luck.

[ClaireG]

Welcome to the forum. Im sure someone with more experience than me will answer this soon. I havn't had experience of this myself but was told that spraying the chicken thats being pecked with a mix of lots of tea tree in some water can help as the chickens don't like the taste.

If any blood has been drawn you need to seperate the poorly one straight away. Gentian Violet spray helps as its purple and covers the red of the blood the chickens are drawn to.

[Mamma Ewing]

Hi, This is the first time I have posted anything on this site and I hope I can be of some help.

I also had the same problem, one of my hens pecked and ate the feathers off another hen, during the course of a few hours she managed to peck off all of her rear feathers leaving her with an open bleeding wound. Unfortunately my lovely little hen needed to be put to sleep as her wound was so bad. We seperated the pecking bird from the rest of the girls as recommended on lots of other chicken sites, but as soon as she was re introduced back in with the other hens she started to peck and eat the feathers of two other birds.

My advice to you is if possible keep the pecking hen separate from the other birds as I have since learn't that once they started pecking feather it is hard for them to stop. Then contact the breeder you had the hens from and see if they can help you by taking the pecking bird back, I was very lucky as my breeder took my little pecker back.

 

Out of interest what do yours girls live in ?

 

Sorry this is not a happy reply.

 

Jacqui

Mamma Ewing

keeper of

JR - Laying

Jock

Miss Ellie

Sue Ellen-Laying

Bobbie

[Sandychick]

Hi Carrie, welcome to the forum and sorry you are having problems in the first few days. I haven't had experience of this myself, but there are a few things you can try.

 

An anti-peck spray might help as it tastes horrible! Also putting a few things about the run to distract her from pecking could help a bit. Suggestions on here have been things like hanging up half a cabbage to peck at, a perch or branch or hanging up a CD as a mirror etc.

 

If all else fails a bumper bit for Layla might be the answer (info on these is in the 'about chickens' section).

 

It might all settle down soon anyway as there is often an amount of squabbling between them when they first arrive to sort out their pecking order.

 

Just keep an eye on Henrietta and make sure there is no blood drawn and follow ClaireG's advise if there is. Hopefully, it will all settle down soon.

[carrie]

Thanks for your replies. My girls live in a wooden house (wanted an eglu, but finances didn't stretch) with a 6x3 run. They have free ranged till today, back at work and have been mainly in run today. Hopefully this week my 25m netting fence from omlet will arrive and my girls will have more room when I am at work. They have discoved my veg garden and love it under the current bushes. Henrietta (Copper black) looks a bit of a mess at the mo

[Egluntyne]

Good advice from sandy chick.

 

There are all sorts of nasty tasting sprays available. Tee Tree Spray works well.

 

Distractions in the run, and plenty of room for the pecked hen to escape will help.

 

Why not scatter a few mealworms in the run for them to hint for.

 

It should keep them occupied for a while, especially if the are hidden a bit.