are they starting to pull feathers and canabalize each other. They were all in a 3' x 7'(2 dog crates together) cage inside. Moved them outside to the grow up pen 12' x 8' with a 4' x 4' coop. They were eating the poor Delaware girl. So put her in a small dog crate in there. yesterday I saw one of the Araucana has a few tail feathers missing. They see blood and go crazy. I feed them high protein. Purina Flock raiser 19% protein so it can't be that. They have twice the amount of room they had just days before. Just makes no sense
Why oh Why
Donna, how many chickens do you have in that 4 X 4 coop? Also what age or size are they. Generally I have found that when there is ample room for them to get away from each other, the competition stops. Space is the key to harmony, even with people, at least I think so...Hay
29- 3 month olds. 4 Del and 25 bantam Araucana. The coop is inside the cage with enough roost for them all and way more room than they had inside. They were all fine in the 7' x 3' cage a few days ago
Thats what happens when you try to be good to the. All you get is a revolt. Go figure. That is not funny but I bet the Delewares get the worst of it huh...
she did but is healing in the little cage. They haven't messed with the others. The Araucana hasn't been pecked anymore. Several of them were rooting on top of the Dels cage and pooping in her food & water so I put a board on top. As many as can fit hang out on top now lol
That is what worries me so much about chickens, one thing they don't like and they start beating each other up and worse.
This winter the weather was so bad I wasn't letting them out of the coop, too much snow, ice, high winds. They seem to do a lot better, even in really bad weather, if I open the coop door. They might not go out in the snow but seem to like sitting in front of the door and take turns doing so. It took them a while to train me!
Oh dear, is there any way that you can let them out to run around free? If they have more more room to run around they might not be so aggressive.
. Once they decide to become brats, it's pretty hard to stop them. Good luck with your little picked on one.
My poor cat has learned what being on the bottom of the pecking order is.
My understanding is they go through a stage of struggle to establish pecking order. Once that is established the fighting calms down.
Well, what about a ball of greens they can pick at... or one of those chicken cookies like Moodene makes? Something to keep them entertained and stop thinking of picking on eachother.. even at the expense of them getting fat.. When the weather gives, and you can turn them out.. it will probably be better.. I am sorry.. I hate a fighting flock. it's so irritating and stressful.
Yes, anything that would give them something to do would help, even some leaves or hay to scratch around in. I threw a sweet potatoe in the yard a few days ago thinking mine would eat it. So far they haven't touched it. Guess they wanted it baked first.
LFJ, maybe you should bake it and don't forget the butter and brown sugar!
It's so miserable today, cold and raining hard. The Girl's are going to get a head of cabbage to play with today. It really does keep them busy. I learned the cabbage trick here on this forum! You all are the best!
I've been known to just throw a shovel full of dirt and weeds in! LOL Anything to give them something to do.. My girls know the drill and as soon as I grab the shovel, they start talkin...
A head of cabbage or lettuce is perfect! Takes a while to devour it..
My girls wont' touch cabbage.
AnnieB, you are so funny. :) Maybe if I cut it they'll realize it's food. They are so good to just devour everything I throw out there, so I was surprised they didn't eat the sweet potato.
LFJ, mine won't eat sweet potatoes, baked or sugared, and raw only makes them mad LOL. They do love cabbage and especially Kale. Endive is their favorite but it's so expensive they only get it once a week.
Tamberlin, the best way to get them to love cabbage is grow it.. and want to keep it, so you can cook it for dinner.. that will guarantee they will go dig it up and devour it! LOL
Uh oh.. That was a Murphy's Law thing..
Cabbage and stuff is also more appealing if hung just out of reach so that they have to jump for it.