Chicken Memorials

[luckielorz2001]

Hello!

I need som help! Last year I adopted 3 ex batts, then about 4 months later I adopted another 3. Intergration was fine, if a little slow, but eventually they were settled. About 3 weeks after this "honeymoon" period, 2 of the second batch of three died, from bullying, so I introduced the anti peck spray and all seemed to settle down again.

About 6 weeks ago, I came in to find my girls fighting really visciously, so I seperated the bully from the main group in the hope it would calm them down. Then about a week ago, I found another one of my girls dead, suspect sign of bullying. turns out not only was the one who I sperated a bully, but another one was as well. I put the Bullys intogether and kept the none bully away from them. Unfortuantley, I woke up to find one of them had died this morning, the one who wasnt a bully. I have no idea what to do, I have gone from 6 ex batts, to two, both of which are bullys. I cant put them in together becasue they too have started fighting so I have two chickens, in different areas, that I cant put with other chickens, and that cant stay together. I have tried these bumper bit, and they still try to peck my girls, which upsets them, even if they dont pull and feathers out, and they have even drawn blood on my feet when I have gone in to clean them.

I dont mean to sound harsh, but I think I need to give these two away. They cant live with other chickens, and they are so vile to each other that keeping them in seperate ares, all alone is going to be unfair to them. I dont want to send them to slaughter because its not thier fault they are like this, does anyone know a place I can take them where they will be happy. I cant stand seeing my girls die all the time and even if I get more chickens and use the bumper bits, these two will still try and peck at my new ones, which will be stressful for them, and its not fair. I adopt chickens to give them a good life, not so they can be tormented to death!!

Please help, I really dont know what to do!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

You poor thing . What a horrible situation to be in . I'm sorry I don't have any experience of ex-batts or bullying (yet, although I've just got 2 new girls ).

 

I'm sure someone will come along with some sound advice for you, I just wanted to offer commiserations .

[luckielorz2001]

Thank you. Im am so upset by all of this, I love my chickens to bits and it heart renching to see them like this. Its all happend so fast too, I check them every day and not one showed any signs of torment, next thing I know, Ive lost four in as many months. Makes me feel like a bad person and that Im not doing enough for them.

[mikk100]

how have they been bullied to death???????? were there obvious injuries? Is it not some disease?? I only ask because I have a bullying problem with my ex-batts and I'd never considered waking to find any have died. I did think that if they were left together they may kill each other but I would have thought it would be over a period of time not all of a sudden, I shall keep my eyes peeled. I know exactly what you mean though, I have cried over this, thinking i'm offering them a better life and finding they're getting hurt. I have seperated my bullied from my bullies, well sort of. In each eglu there is still feather pulling but the only time they are all really ok is when they are totally free ranging in the garden and they can keep away from each other. I've used ukadex but I haven't yet decided whether it works or not, they don't seem to like the taste but have a go anyway...it sounds like your only option for now is to seperate them so they can still see each other and maybe have some contact, such as with a chicken wire fence, even just a temporary arrangement to stop them hurting themselves. Maybe borrow a cat box or rabbit hutch or something so you have 2 places to put them at night and they will see each other in the day. It is slowly working for me.

[Egluntyne]

Why not try bumper bits on them, and extra food stations.

 

Ex batts are often aggressive because they have had to fight for food and need to 'unlearn' this behaviour. When they see that there is enough to go round, they usually settle down.

[sandyhas3chucks]

mikk10, this is only my experience but I had 3 in an Eglu run, hubby had the build an 8ft extension but when over they were in there 2 mercilessly bullied one, and yes if left they would I think have killed her. I got the bullied girls a pal, but had to keep them 2 +2 untill I had a walk in run. then a bale of straw and more space, and things settled down.

I just don't feel the eglu is big nough for bullying ex batts.as there is no place to get away even extra feeders didn'tr help. trouble os the shapre long and thin does make it really difficult to put divders/hiders in there.mine too were ok free ranging with space. You would think as a human they would be grateful of the space, not nasty little terrors.

good luck

[luckielorz2001]

Well I have tried bumper bits, and they still try to attack the chickens, and of course they peck and the same place, which stresses the chicken out so I found they were no use for me.

I have had an offer for them to go and live in a farm nearby, to live in a large group and totally free range. I think I will most likely do that, at the end of the day I have to think about the happiness and well-being of my girls, and the two being together is just not an option.

I shall keep you posted.

[sandyhas3chucks]

that sounds like a nice retirement.

Lots of space and lots more to take the pressure off!

good luck, whatever.

[luckielorz2001]

Exactly, diluting the bullies

As long as they are happy, that all I care about!

[sandyhas3chucks]

darn well "good for you!"

[sparkysmum]

Agree completely, I'm sure your ladies will have a happy retirement in their free range flock. Look forward to peace breaking out, knowing you've done the right thing all round. Sometimes doing what's best is sooo hard.