Solitary chicken - need advice

[SuburbanChick]

I’m so distressed by chicken keeping that I really feel I have to give up! I got my little band of four last year and installed them in a lovely new Cube and run with two extensions, gave them a perch and a lovely big dustbath. All was well until they came into lay and then the feather pecking started.

 

I tried anti-peck spray, then bumpa bits, then longer bumpa bits but nothing has broken the habit and all four have bare bums and/or legs as well as feathers missing off their breasts. I was initially told by the breeder not to bother letting them out of the run because what they never had they wouldn’t miss but I started letting them out hoping that they would forget to peck and eat each other’s feathers.

 

I think the crunch came a few weeks back. My gentle little brown hen was pecked really badly on her chest and I had to separate her from the others and nurse her back to health. After a few weeks all her lovely feathers had grown back but as soon as she went back in with the other chickens full time her feathers were pulled out.

 

My dilemma? What on earth do I do now? No-one will want to rehome feather peckers......

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so sorry to hear that, what a shame it's spoilt your experience of chicken keeping . Is there a farmer somewhere nearby who could add them to a large flock? Then you could start again?

 

I honestly don't know what else to suggest but hope someone else can give you some ideas .

[Eggshell]

I know, feather-pecking is rather disheartening. Is there one particular chicken who is the main problem?

[SuburbanChick]

It was one chicken to start with and I hesitated to fit a bumpa bit. To be honest, I think that was my mistake because then they all seemed to pick up the habit.. They seem happy enough in their own way and are all laying but I find it so upsetting especially when I see pictures of other people's lovely chickens. I've tried really hard to give them a good life but it just hasn't worked out.

[The Dogmother]

Have you checked them for lice or mites? Often if they are itchy with bugs, they will get pecky with each other.

[mollyripkim]

Not sure what to suggest other than checking for mites. Think I read somewhere it can start with a dietary deficiency so maybe check their food, also it can be redirected behaviour, do they have enough bedding to dig around in etc to keep them occupied. What about hanging a cabbage to give them something else to do?

[DaisyAndBobby]

I would start with adding lots of entertainment.

 

We have two suet feeders (similar to this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alan-Titchmarsh-Suet-Block-Feeder/dp/B00A76GXMQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441721942&sr=8-3&keywords=bird+feeders+suet) zip tied onto the run. One is reachable from the floor, the other only from the perch. So they have to hop up to it. I stuff them with Dandelion leafs, Chard leafs, the scraggy lettuce leafs from the allotment patch or cabbage etc etc. I do this everyday.

 

Throw and apple or two in every now and again, or something like a butternut squash cut in half will keep them occupied for ages. Advantage of two halves is of course you separate the hens.

 

What are you feeding them? Normal layers pellets?

 

Mine are on wood chips and spend a lot of time rummaging and digging around in those. So you could consider a change of surface if that's not what they're already on.

 

If they're eating feathers they could be missing some protein in their diet, but they should get enough from their pellets for that.

 

Hope some of that is potentially useful and apologies if you've tried it already.

 

Also, I would add two feeders and two water containers too, so any hens being bullied can escape to another.

[Mars]

If I was you I will get rid of them "or Cull them" and get another breed. many breeds don't have big pecking problems

some breeds are known to be mean.

meanwhile you can put something for them to keep them busy and entertained.

[The Dogmother]

Personally, I wouldn't go that far Mars; I would look to rehome them somewhere where there is a bigger flock, preferably one with a cockerel, and their pecking won't be tolerated. Ask around locally, and see what comes up.

[SuburbanChick]

No lice or mites and they have oodles of woodchip to scratch around in! I regularly add fresh woodchip and change it completely a couple of times a year.

 

I'm feeding them Matador pellets which I understand is a good feed and they have dandelion leaves when we've got them. I put Orego Stim in the water a couple of times a week. They don't care much about pecking blocks and aren't bothered about cabbages or apples etc. They do love pumpkin or squash but it is gone in half an hour!

 

I think it must be a space issue and I'm somewhat disillusioned with the whole idea of keeping chickens in a suburban garden. In complete desperation I've cordoned off the woodland bit at the top of my garden and I'm just letting them out to free range. They're absolutely loving it but it is a big risk because I can't watch them all the time........

 

Not sure if it's a responsible thing to do

[Ain't Nobody Here]

To be honest, some people make the decision to take that calculated risk in order to give their chickens a better quality of life so perhaps that's just what you'll have to do. My girls free range behind Omlet netting all day, every day - I'm aware of the risk but have been lucky so far.

[ads1080]

I understand your distress I've just re home one of my hens that was feather pecking the others badly. It's awful seeing them being pecked at and missing feathers. Luckily the farm was willing to take her back off me. I also tried many things except bumpa bit i felt lt I couldn't break her habit and just wasn't fair for her to be separated on her own.

 

Hope you can find a solution that works for you and your birds.

[merlina]

There's loads you can try.

You've just been unlucky - many people can keep hens for many many years and not have this experience.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head with giving them more space. Yes it's a risk. It's a risk every time we let our cat (or even our kids!) out of the house. Personally (I live in the country), I let me hens FR all day every day in the summer. Yes it's a risk and I might feel differently if anything bad had ever happened. But after 4 years, it hasn't.

So I'd keep trying with that

 

As you suggest, it's about breaking a habit. I'd try splitting them up into 2 groups - at least in the run, if the extra FR doesn't work. Or isolating the worst pecker (again in the run, so they can still see the others)

And then I'd hope the change of seasons made a difference (sometimes it does, but it's a long shot)

And then I'd hope that your girls being that bit older next summer would make a big difference - they often seem less feisty after their first year

 

In other words there isn't a foolproof tactic.

You could certainly try rehoming one or more of them - anything that changes the dynamic can work

 

Sorry you've had such a problematic 1st experience

[sparkysmum]

Hi suburbanchic, I am sorry that your first hen keeping experience has been so trying for you. If you are willing to take the risk I would let them free range in the garden, as I think hens can display less attractive behavious when confined. I know my circumstances are probably different from yours but I decided to let mine free range all day every day from the start. The big hens have most of the garden and the pekins the rest. It is divided up with omlet fencing. I have been lucky, others less so. Good luck with your endeavours. Culling is inappropriate. Take care. Ax

[SuburbanChick]

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied

 

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and persist with the free ranging and see if that helps. It gives them a much better quality of life and seems so much more natural to me. I think I was feeling unhappy about keeping them in a run for most of the time anyway. [sorry Omlet] Having said that, it is pouring here today so they are still in the run

 

I don't think I'd ever bother with bumpa bits again they seem to have had no effect whatsoever

[PixieDust]

I know my girls love to get out and free range even for half an hour. Sometimes I am too busy to do it as we have cats who go for them and of course the added danger of foxes. They only ever come out when I supervise them. My choice.

 

Yes I have had Lily doing some bullying and maybe it is the fact I don't just let them out all day every day. However, try not to give up on your girls. I hate to see bullying too and I prefer to treat all animals with kindness to elicit a kind response. However, with my limited knowledge I understand that chickens respond differently and bullying needs to be nipped with harsh measures. Lily is seriously not happy about being cage confined but her demeanour is changing from anarchistic punk hen to a bit more subdued cool chicken. I am not sure she is sorted out quite yet but we shall see by the weekend.

 

Trust me every night I go in and tuck the other 2 in, I feel dreadful as she faintly squeaks at me. But I would also feel terrible if either of the other 2 were badly injured or pecked to death.