Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[ewoodpugz]

Hi Folks,

I'm new here and new to chickens. About six weeks ago I adopted three ex batts who are housed in a lovely ping eglu . From the off one was getting picked on, Charley. It went on for a week or so but didn't seem anything major or physical but she was spending alot of her time in the eglu on her own. So we separated Mrs Chicken, the bully (excuse the names, my four year old named them) for two days as advised by the BHWT. This seemed to work and all has been fine. They're all pretty nervous around us and I can't really get near them to health check them so I don't know when the wounds happened but this week I noticed on either side of Charley she has a patch about one inch wide of broken, bloody quills and it looks almost as though a thick layer of skin has grown over the area. It doens't look fresh and the blood in the quills is dried and dark. I've sprayed the area with anti pecking spray which has anti bacterial and antispectic in it also. I've observed them for long periods and Mrs Chicken doens't seem to peck at her anymore (presumbably she did at first) but Charley is very nervous and every time Mrs Chicken walks past her she runs off and hides in the Eglu. When they're out free ranging they're fine the issue just exists when they're in their run. Is there anything else I can be doing?

Thanks

Rebecca

[Egluntyne]

Never apologise for chicken names, especially when chosen by a 4 year old.

 

Sounds as if you have got matters under control now.

 

 

Often exbatts can be aggressive around food as they have had to fight for every mouthful in the battery house I would have a couple of feeders out and also I would encourage them to eat treats together, ie sprinkle sweetcorn on the floor so that they can enjoy them at the same time, and perhaps provide some evergreen branches for Charley to seek refuge in when she has had enough argy bargy.

[Plum]

What a start

Its normal to have dark blood in the quills when they are growing.

 

I would say the same as Egluntine about extra feeders, water and somewhere to hide or perch.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Hello, I had exactly the same problem when I got my first 3.

I know I will be unpopular for saying this and we would all think that ex bayt might be graterful for any extra space... but IMO the standard Eglu run is just the wrong shape and not big enough for 3 exbats in all day long, IF they are not all buddies!

However, if yo do a search on my posts(click on name and search users posts)

You will see that way back and more recently someone else had the same problem, the threads will show photos and have lots of ideas for things you can do.

Place to hide being really important,hardest to achieve but is do,able, they need lots of different things to do to stay occupied.

lately I gave my holiday hens an old underbed storage box as with dirt in as a dust bath as well as a huge branch, however they were a pair and friends!

Good luck.

And I would separate the main bully if there is one,both of mine attacked the 3rd mercilessly, even if only for half a day at a time.

Charley really needs time to eat and relax and gain as much strength as she can.

It is a bit of a juggling and balancing act.

keep posting for extra advice too.

ok look here.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=60401&p=903279#p903279