Chicken help!

[Evie91]

I have four chickens, about seven weeks old. One is obviously a cockerel. Today I noticed he was picking feathers out of the other chickens and eating them - to the point he was chasing them round, plucking feathers from their bottoms then eating them! The others are obviously not happy about this!
Question is; why is he doing it and how can I stop him?!
Thanks for reading

 

[jrp204]

You can either put something foul tasting (yeh, i know!) on the others tail feathers or dispatch the rooster (which i would do).

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

What JRP says. If you are not intending to keep the chap cull him now before you get too attached and he does too much damage.

If he is a pure breed you may be able to rehome but once they start the habit it is almost impossible to break and with so many chaps up for rehoming you will struggle if you are honest about his habit.

You can buy beak bits to stop mature hens feather plucking but you won't find any small enough for such a young bird.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Chicken Korma and a nice nan bread.

Your cockerel will trample all over your hens and make their lives a misery.

I keep 4 hens just for pleasure and home produced eggs, which are so much nicer than bought eggs, and when one went broody I got some fertilized eggs for her.

The brood included 2 cocks and 2 hens. As soon as the cocks grew up they marmalized my poor hens.

 

[Clodagh]

Feather eating is not a vice only associated with cockerels. Generally hens are happier living with a cock bird, he does the food finding and look out and they eat!
Featherpecking is a bad vice and I would cull for that alone whether the culprit was a hen or a cock. Do they have plenty of space and things to do? Boredom is often a trigger.

 

[Evie91]

Oh no! I've had them a week, wasn't planning on a cockerel but don't mind now I have him. Think they have enough to do - they live in a converted children's playhouse and have a run- will let them out in a bigger bit when they are a bit older - have variety of food to peck at ( pellets, corn, grit, fresh fruit and veg, pasta etc).
He has turned out to be my favourite one! He's quite friendly and let's me pick him up and stroke him so I really want to give him a chance! He only started this yesterday evening -in the end was chasing the other three and pulling feathers eating it and then going back for more on whoever was nearest! At the time I was digging worms for them to eat so not as if not enough going on!
Thanks for the advice, not looking good for him is it??!! He's not pure bred and has misshapen toes so no one will want him - that's why I want to keep him if poss!

 

[Clodagh]

You can put stolkholm tar on the others, or you can buy antipeck stuff, I can't remember what it is called - maybe antipeck! LOL.
Try hanging up some CDs for them to peck at, or a mirror.
Also though, a friendly cockerel when young is the one that will attack you when older!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I agree to get rid of the cockerel, much easier at 7weeks than at 20-if he's a full sibling you'll not want to breed from him anyway and the friendly ones are the ones that have no fear later on...
Hang up some veggies (broccoli keeps youngsters busy for ages), cabbages, softer apples etc plus shiny things. Don't feed rubbish like pasta, they should be on growers pellets-feather eating can be a sign they are deficient in something and like me, they will eat rubbish and fill up on that first. I would not give much corn at that age. Also, depending on the cockerel, he'll need more hens that that-I have one happy cockerel with 5 happy hens but recently had to dispatch another who was mashing 9!

 

[Evie91]

Thanks for the ideas - will def try the cd's and hanging veg ( they have broccoli but its on the floor). They are on growers pellets as well as all the extras ( will cut out pasta) but maybe I'll get them a tonic and see if that helps ( in case they are deficient).
Good point about cockerel being hens brother - I don't want to breed,just wanted hens as pets and for eggs - hadn't considered incest!
I'd thought it was a good thing he was so friendly - not looking good for him is it! The thing is I'm too soft to do anything with him myself, going to leave it a couple of weeks and see if he earns himself a reprieve!!
Thanks for the advice

 

[millsandboon]

Once he starts to draw blood, you have a problem. It is catching and if the others start to copy, you could have a welfare problem.

UKADEX anti peck spray is the best spray to stop pecking. Do not put stockholm tar on your chickens

Word of warning though - the spray STINKS and will make you and anything it touches stink too. Happy spraying

I would also suggest that you need to look at the space you are giving them. Happy chickens with lots of space to roam rarely peck eachother

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I would also suggest that you need to look at the space you are giving them. Happy chickens with lots of space to roam rarely peck eachother

true.^^

if he does draw blood you must take out the injured chook until it heals up or they will all have a go. if you live rural then find a local gamekeeper to neck him-he'd probably do it for a beer.

 

[WelshD]

true.^^

VERY true.

I personally would nip it in the bud by nipping him in the bud I am afraid

It can be a learned behaviour and the others may start it

If you really dont want to despatch him then you could try a bumper/bumpa bit. I personally hate them with a passion but some people use them with great success

 

[Alec Swan]

Feather pecking is a sin, and it's contagious. Once the others see the blood that he will inevitably spill, they'll join in, until the unfortunate victim has its guts removed, and eaten! Chickens are not nice to each other, they're cannibals.

You can do one of three things;

You can wring his neck, you can de-beak him, but get someone to help you, or you can do what I'd do, and that would be to get a "Bit", they're a large "C" shaped piece of plastic which sits in between the upper and lower mandible, and clip in to the nostrils. At 7 weeks, this will stop him, with immediate effect. Success is guaranteed.

Generally, Feather Picking is caused by either, or both, overcrowding or boredom.

Alec.

Ets, if you decide to "Bit" him, PM me with a postal address, and I'll send you some, I have 1000s!! a.

 

[Evie91]

In the morning they have a small run - about six foot square but afternoon and evening they have 13 metres long and 5 meters wide. Do they need more space? Don't want them to be completely free range in case mr fox gets them!

They're house is a converted playhouse - larger than most chicken coops I've seen. Think shed width but half height.

Think ill give then anti peck stuff a go - wonder what they get out of eating feathers? So frustrating, not as if I don't give them enough food - husband thinks they eat better than we do!

 

[Evie91]

Gosh Alec - think I must have romanticised hen keeping to some extent - cant ever remember reading about chicken licken and Henny Penny pecking each others guts out!!!
Off to google the bits to see what they look like/how they work before I decide if I'm brave enough to give it a go!

 

[Alec Swan]

Gosh Alec - think I must have romanticised hen keeping to some extent - cant ever remember reading about chicken licken and Henny Penny pecking each others guts out!!!
Off to google the bits to see what they look like/how they work before I decide if I'm brave enough to give it a go!

What the bit does, is it prevents the tips of the beak from meeting, and so that can't actually grip a feather. It fits like a sort of bar across the beak, and they can still eat with it in. It sounds awful, but it isn't, and they soon get used to it.

I haven't done it, but if you google "Bitting Pheasants, you'll see how it works.

Alec.

 

[Evie91]

Hmmm just had a look at the bitting. Thanks for the suggestion but its not for me. Think I'm going to try the anti peck spray first
Interestingly my chucks are cross breeds - on another thread it was saying they are more prone to Vices than pure breds - hadn't realised this. Wonder why it is....

 

[MotherOfChickens]

chickens are sort of programmed to peck at red things, if they see blood they will keep pecking and yes, they will cannibalise and it's not pleasant. I also think chicken keepers should learn to neck birds in case they are sick/injured-very stressful to take a chook to the vets (and most vets have no clue) plus they aren't really worth the money.

I don't think 6ft sq for that many chickens, even youngsters, is enough tbh. I have 6 birds in two pens of 30x10 ft but both pens (I made up some aviary panels) are moved twice a week to give them a fresh area to dig in-I have a mix of pure breds and hybrids. Both sets get to free range a bit when I am about. Another thing chooks should really have is a dirt/dust/sand bath and perches both in the run and in their house. As long as they have sufficient perch room, the size of house isn't that important and they only really sleep/lay in it.

I bought a pair of rumpless araucana in and one was feather pecking the other badly.They had been kept pretty badly and were very stressed. I had to split them up until the affected one completely feathered up but they are fine now, in with the others and laying well.

 

[Evie91]

I couldn't neck one - but fortunately my neighbour could, if it was ever necessary!
The smaller run was only for a couple of weeks, until they got used to being out. They have 13 metre by 5 metre run otherwise - brick wall 10 ft on both sides and 8 ft panel on front. However no roof, so wanted to wait until they are bigger so the buzzard doesn't get them.
I've let them out in it this afternoon - so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that more space means he'll give up on the feather pecking!
They have a perch in their house but will also put them in the run too. Have hung up veg and CDs so will see how we get on!
I had no idea chickens had a canniblistic side to them!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

try some bird netting to keep buzzards off-has worked with mine so far.you can tie it down/weigh it down and buy the size you need.

 

[Evie91]

Great thank you

Thanks so you all for most eggcellent advice!! Sorry couldn't resist!

 

[Clodagh]

Chickens are tue omnivores. To really make their day dig up a nest of baby rats or mice... it isn't pretty but it makes them happy.

We trapped a fox a few weeks ago and shot it. OH then took it up to the muck heap. While it lay on the path some blood and bits came out of its head. The chickens thought it was Christmas! 'Chickens eat fox'.

 

[Evie91]

Omg Clodagh that is gross! My chucks will never be that happy - digging a few worms is as much as I'll manage!

 

[Evie91]

Also made mistake of reading your reply whilst eating my tea!! Cottage pie anyone???...

 

[Clodagh]

LOL! I love my chickens, I have a modern game boy now who free ranges everywhere, he has taken to beating up the poor labrador!

 

[millsandboon]

This is a pic of a fast running chicken of mine who does not want to share her lovely mouse. She downed it in one gulp!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

This is a pic of a fast running chicken of mine who does not want to share her lovely mouse. She downed it in one gulp!!

ha ha-happy hen!

chooks need protein, in the winter I give mine meal worms and have been known to give them a tin of tuna occasionally. Its why its important to feed them a good diet and not kitchen scraps (which is illegal anyway).

 

[jrp204]

We had 3000 free range hens, if conditions weren't right they would feather peck, you would find a totally empty carcass. They start at the back and keep going so you have a perfect hen with no insides. Really grim to think the victim is still alive!! Too much light in the house is one of the causes, nest boxes want to be pretty dark too.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

nest boxes want to be pretty dark too.

I put curtains up in my houses on the nest boxes-stop vent pecking. just rip them out and replace yearly.

they are like little dinosaurs really, odd little creatures but very endearing!

 

[Evie91]

The chicken with the mouse!! Amazing - I knew small bugs and grubs were part of their diet, never realised it included mice, fox and each other!!
The dinosaur comment is interesting - when I'm watching them they sometimes remind me of the Jurassic park films - expressions, movement and noises!

Also interesting point about a curtain - the playhouse has a window and a window in the door - so too light by the sounds of it. I will get some curtains!

Have cats who regularly supplement their diet with wild bunnies - they often leave bits may start giving them to the chickens! Cats and dog eating meat doesn't bother me, but with the chicks it makes me feel quite queasy! Think it must be the pecking at it! Oh well on those days I'll remember not to drink my morning coffee with them!!!