Storms and chickens

[chickchick2012]

I have had my three battery hens since last September and up to 2 days ago they were the best of friends BUT NOW!!!!! over night it seems that one is definitely out of favour and they are attacking her all the time. What can I do. I have put some food and water in a different place for her but she just seems to want to stay in the Eglu out of the way. Any ideas please?

 

Thanks

[AndyRoo]

I have had my three battery hens since last September and up to 2 days ago they were the best of friends BUT NOW!!!!! over night it seems that one is definitely out of favour and they are attacking her all the time. What can I do. I have put some food and water in a different place for her but she just seems to want to stay in the Eglu out of the way. Any ideas please?

 

Thanks

 

Are they plucking her feathers out or just bullying her? How many hens do you have, and in what size run? Is it a walk in run etc.?

 

This happened with my hens recently; overnight my 2 cream Legbars turned in to complete b*tches and started plucking the feathers out of the other girls!

 

If it's feather picking, you can try these products:

 

Violet Wound Healer: https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/anti_pek_and_healing/9219/battles_gentian_violet_spray_-_240ml/?rf=bcf408db897cdc7218c46d926d707c2c - Chickens are (apparently) attracted to the colour red, so when they pluck out feathers it will often leave things red and inflamed. This spray will help disinfect the wound and it dyes the skin (temporarily) violet so the other hens aren't so attracted at picking on her.

 

Anti-Peck spray: https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/anti_pek_and_healing/4364/nettex_anti_feather_pecking_spray_-_250ml/?rf=e1a0cf9f888330cb1d9c9000f1461788 - It's essentially the same stuff you put on finger nails to stop biting them: it tastes gross and the other hens don't like it so they will be less inclined to peck.

 

Bumper-bits: https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/anti_pek_and_healing/13292/bumpa_bits_and_pliers_value_set/?rf=37b83102408d0e8b08c2851de73016fb - You attach these to the beaks of the bullies; it won't stop them eating or drinking but it makes it much harder them to pluck feathers out.

 

If it's a space thing, there are a few things to do - but let us know what your set-up is like as the advice might vary based on that.

[The Dogmother]

Not much to go on, but it could be that she is poorly and they are sensing it - this sometimes happens

 

I would divide the run if you can, so that she isn't excluded and they can still see her. Fit the perps with bumpa bits to avoid any damage. Give the victim a good looking over and check that her crop is full. Check them all for lice as this can make hens antsy, especially in this hot weather.

 

I was watching some hens in a pen on Saturday - a relatively established flock (not mine) when 3 of them suddenly started to attack one slightly larger hen for no obvious reason. Before I could get in the pen, they had killed and were disemboweling her I got her out, but it was too late. i helped the friend to split her flock, and hopefully that will avoid any future problems. It all happened very quickly and with no obvious stress factors

[chickchick2012]

Thank you for your replies.

 

They are not plucking her feathers out, at the moment anyway!! They live in a walk in run (divided in 2 by a little door) and each one is about 6' wide by 10' long so I think that should be enough space (I hope). I haven't sprayed them for a few months, so maybe I should do that again. They sleep together ok in the Eglu and don't seem to come to any harm whilst they're in there ........ so it's an odd one eh?

 

Thank you

[AndyRoo]

Thank you for your replies.

 

They are not plucking her feathers out, at the moment anyway!! They live in a walk in run (divided in 2 by a little door) and each one is about 6' wide by 10' long so I think that should be enough space (I hope). I haven't sprayed them for a few months, so maybe I should do that again. They sleep together ok in the Eglu and don't seem to come to any harm whilst they're in there ........ so it's an odd one eh?

 

Thank you

 

Okay, so 6 x 10 foot? That's around 5.5 square meters, so that should be enough for 3 hens. Each should be given at least 1 square meter, and the more the better.

 

You could try the anti-peck spray even if they aren't pulling feathers out, as it might deter them from pecking at her regardless. Does the other hen appear to be sick or injured in any way?

 

It could be a boredom issue. In my WiR I've put up several perches/roosting bars - I literally went down to a local wood and found some old windfall branches and took them back home and secured them in the corners of the run with some cable ties. The girls quite enjoy hopping up and down and sitting on those.

 

I also got some old tree stumps when I had some trees cut down and turned them in to tiered steps which they use to hop up to get to the treat ball I suspect above the highest one, which they quite like.

 

You could try hanging a couple of treat balls for them to jump up too?

 

I don't know if it's true, but I also heard they quite like looking at themselves in the mirror - so maybe you could try getting one of those shatter proof ones from Pets At Home and hanging that?

 

The other thing I did which seems to have worked well is purchased some netting so they have an extension to their run - they love running round on the grass on a nice day.