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

[lauragale]

I have had 2 lovely chickens for over 3 months now. Gingernut got pecked by Pepperpot initially, but this soon subsided after a dose of anti-peck spray. Gingernut was then clearly bottom of the pecking order, but the 2 seemed to be getting along nicely.

I got home on friday to a massacre. Gingernut was dead - she had a big opening on her side - kind-of at the top of her leg. There was blood everywhere - all inside the eggloo and over the feeders. Pepperpot was just quietly mincing about.

I couldn't find any sign of anything getting into the run - so the main suspect is Pepperpot.

Does anyone know of this happening? They both had access to plenty of food and water. I was really upset to start with, and it was horrible cleaning it all up, but now i'm keen to get another chicken and just start over. I'm worried that Pepperpot might be a 'bad-un' and might do it again, especially with a new introduction.

I would be gratefully for any advice / enlightenment.

Laura

 

ps I'm now looking for a new chicken in the birmingham area

[Redwing]

I'm so sorry

 

It probably was the other chicken attacking, the 'hole' is a classic chicken inflicted injury sadly

 

The same thing happened to one of my girls, luckily she survived, one chicken was the ring leader but all of the rest had a peck too, my girl was left terribly injured

 

I think it starts with a stray peck then once the chicken sees blood they seem compelled to keep going and going at the wound

 

Nothing has happened in my group since (but I have removed the injured bird permenantly - she is elsewhere in my field making new friends) and I think sometimes its just bad luck - an interesting thing someone said at the time is that it could be an underlying problem making one chicken weaker ane more prone to being picked on

 

I would put the whole sad episode down to being a sad one-off and try again, make sure you do the introductions slowly and get some bumper bits in just in case

[Egluntyne]

I agree...put a bumper bit on the Pepperpot, and it would be a good idea to introduce at least two hens, then she will be outnumbered.

 

**Managing introductions**

[TheHunter]

We also had a chicken pecked to death and fitted a bumper to the culprit, we made the mistake of removing the bumper after 2 weeks thinking she was over the pecking and the following day there was a wound on another chicken (luckly not fatal) once they get a taste for blood it seems to send them a bit whappy. Leave the bumper on for life, it won't do them any harm and you have piece of mind.

[lauragale]

Thanks for all the great advice! It is very much appreciated.

Laura x