Feather pecking and worse

supergran · Post by **supergran** » 11 Jan 2017, 21:58

Hi this is my first post for some long time but me and chickies have had a bad day! Due to the Avian flu restrictions they have been restricted in a run with netting etc. Usually they are completely free range, in orchard type area.
I have been checking daily but this morning discovered two dead birds due to outbreak of feather pecking that had escalated! Thought I had provided lots of activities etc to compensate for overcrowding, boredom etc. Can't believe how situation turned nasty...I feel rubbish. Desperately sprayed remaining birds bare bums with purple stuff, panicking what tomorrow may bring. Some nasty injuries, intend to review carefully in the morning. {cry}

Post by Mo » 11 Jan 2017, 22:26

Hens can be monsters. I found that when mine were in an arc with 3'x6' run plus a large netted area of the orchard. When I increased the flock they were OK unless I was going out in the evening and put them into the arc-run for a few hours before dark. The newcomers ended up with bald patches, fortunately no worse.

It seems daft to me that Defra has these rules, wild birds can't be controlled so why make our hens suffer.

KathJ · Post by **KathJ** » 12 Jan 2017, 11:57

Oh how sad, I really feel for you, it must be horrible seeing this happening but I understand your hands are really tied with these restrictions and it isn't your fault. Do you know if there's one particular culprit or ringleader? Maybe you could try and separate her off in the run somehow {cry}

Post by **Richard** » 13 Jan 2017, 01:47

I'm so sorry, as said, they can be pretty brutal and even the smallest amount of blood sets them off.

Separation would seem the best plan.

Richard