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

[legend21]

Hi All, had my ex batts two weeks and from the off had problems with bullying, my wee favourite (because she is the most pathetic) is bleeding she has been pecked by one of the other girls, I currently have the bully in the Eglu which has a run and the rest are out in the garden which is fenced off. I am miserable where is the fun in this, it is like when the kids were are school, and the big bully picked on them. I have ignored it, sprayed with water gun, bought anti peck spray, going to order gentian violet now. I asked at the chemist if they had any gentian violet and they didn't even know what it was, the average age looked 16 so supposed they are too young. If this is what the future is I dont want it, a bit over dramatic but I am dreading them going to bed tonight. Please tell me this will get better, I have read others stories and it does not bode well for my wee favourite.

[chocchick]

I've seen injuries from bullying but have found it improves after around 3 weeks when they have established the pecking order. Most stories I've heard from the forum are positive. My little favourite (currently ill) has always been picked on by all the other chickens but even though she still occasionally gets pecked if they are competing for food it does not injure her. It took much longer with her -they were in the run for a few days once and I came back to find she had a bald patch on her head. It helped when the head chicken (not main bully) died leaving only 2 against 1. At worst you could rehome or separate, but it's early days yet. Having space for her to escape helps, and separating the bully as you have done.

[Egluntyne]

It will get better.

 

Why not put a bumper bit on the bully? She won't like it, but she'll get used to it.

 

Ex batts can often be aggressive as they have had to fight for every s"Ooops, word censored!" of food when in the battery cage.

 

If food issues are the main cause of trouble, why not have several food stations out. When she sees that there is enough for everyone, she will calm down.....and she won't be able to 'man' them all!

 

Nil desperandum.

[Hen Watch]

Sorry to hear about the bullying.

 

I get my gentian violet spray from a horse supply shop. There is a good shop locator on the manufacturer's website. Put your postcode on this webpage....

 

http://www.battles.co.uk/products/002/animal-health/303/battles/-/-/2507/gentian-violet-spray/

[legend21]

Brilliant Hen watch, I have 3 shops close by what a great wee web page.

 

I am thinking of ordering bumpa bits as the bully pulls her ears and jumps on her back in fact as I write this I am going to order bumpa bits

 

thank you

[Guest]

we had the same problem for around 2-3 weeks. We solved it by putting several food and water stations in the run, so no one single hen could comandeer them. We also seperated the bully but where she could still see the others, just to give them a bit of breathing space. We also chucked some sweetcorn in the run which seemed to distract their minds from pecking each other which also helps them to learn to feed together in peace.

 

It does all eventually settle down, they just need to sort out who is going to be mother hen etc.

 

Also, ex batts have been in a terrible environment where they've had to fight for every mouthful of food. Once they learn there's plenty to go round, they will also settle down.

 

It's no nice to watch but if you keep doing what you're doing, they'll be fine.

 

We've had our girls since Oct 2007 and they're an absolute delight to have around. Just give them a chance and you won't be sorry and you'll be giving them the best gift they could ever have, life as a real chicken!

[indigopurple]

I am ridiculously new to this but thought I would add my very brief experience of this.

 

I picked up my three ex batts on Monday from a sanctury and they have been out of the factory three weeks. Two are in very good condition but i also have a very near oven ready who is in a terrible state.

 

The main bully really picked on her but in the end I had bowls of food and water everywhere including in the house.

 

It has calmed down loads today, she is still getting pecked and pushed about a bit but she ate and drank out of the main feeders and even wrestled for a worm earlier. She looks a bit red and sore in place so i am going to try and get some of the purple spray stuff for her tomorrow.

 

I do think its a food thing and only a few days in they seem to have realised that it is quite plentiful here and it has calmed down.

 

Hope it all works out for you x

[legend21]

Thanks Indigo, I have three feeders between the six but I think this weekend I will put out some more inside and outside of the run to see if that brings harmony.

 

I love this forum I would not have got chickens without it. I was reading it for ages before hand

 

thanks

 

Jackie

[Budgies]

Sorry to hear you're experiencing this at the moment - it does throw you in at the deep end rather but judging by other people's experiences, it does get better! Don't give up hope!

 

There's some great advice on this thread, but I just wanted to add that if the bully has drawn blood, she will go back repeatedly, drawn by the red colour, to peck again and again.

 

In the absence of any gentian violet at the moment, my vet recommended blue food colouring to disguise the redness and stop repeated pecking at the same place.

 

It's so cheap and easily available, might do you until the gentian violet arrives. Good luck!!

[BocBoc]

Sorry you are having such bother at the moment - hope you get it sorted soon. Best of luck

[poachedegg]

When we got our exbatts in February - for extra feeders, we bought these from ebay:

 

 

Good luck - it does get better, honestly.

[alih]

I got the pots above too and they are brill.

 

Advice so far excellent, but I would add that I put vaseline on the big floppy combs of my ex bats so the others couldn't get a grip and bumper bits on the 2 worst offenders- I hesitated about doing this because I was worried I would not get them on but in the end did it sing;e-handed and boy did it work....

 

lots of food stations, lots of space of you can, purple spray in case of blood and it will calm down after about 3 weeks... good luck and do keep us updated!

[FiggyPudding]

I feel exactly the same way...

 

I am off to collect my daughter & then we are off to buy the purple spray. I have locked my bully in the eglu (in the dark) because the bullied one has a bloodied wattle & i am scared she will be pecked to death.

 

Can anyone tell me where I buy the bully ring from ? I notice the bully is pecking at me too. She also pecked dear little Lola (black rock) & she let me pick her up & cuddle her afterwards, which she has NEVER done.

 

The extra food containers is a good idea - is there a link to the ebay feeders please ?

[Budgies]

The beak clip is called a Bumper/Bumpa Bit, and the thread below shows where to get and how to fit them.

 

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=22584

 

If you type "chicken feeder" into ebay, you'll see the pots.

[indigopurple]

I had a spot of blood on one of mine the other day and I was quite shocked at how they instinctivly peck at it!

 

I did not have any gentian violet but I read on a forum about using flour and it worked a treat.

[Budgies]

I had a spot of blood on one of mine the other day and I was quite shocked at how they instinctivly peck at it!

 

 

It can be pretty gruesome can't it? My vet said that if a bird spots its own blood, it will often then go on to peck itself to death. It's a worrying thought. Blue food colouring lives in my cupboard permanently now!

[FiggyPudding]

pecking yourself to death....madness...

 

I've sprayed Zoe's wattle now (it's a big hangy one) & her face, she looks like she's off to war. Bessie is still pecking. Having said that, when I checked on them at bed time they were both squeezed into the eglu nesting box : - )

 

I'm ordering the Uradex tomorrow - unless anyone has success rates with stockholm tar ?

[poachedegg]

The extra food containers is a good idea - is there a link to the ebay feeders please ?

 

Link to galley pots on ebay here.

[FiggyPudding]

thank you ! I've just ordered some