The Poultry Keeper

bowdenbunnyrescue · Joined: 12 May 2006 Posts: 10 Location: Flintshire

Hi

Have just got 4 hybrid hens, we have only had them a few days and noticed one was getting pecked by her tail feathers, so we rang the person we got them from and she said we should seperate her, we have done this but whilst catching her we noticed one of the others is going the same way. We have mited them etc and they have a very large house(supposed to house 15!) and large run.

Help-we can't split them up again. What should we do?

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:03 pm Post subject:

I think normal advice is to separate the one that is actually doing the bullying for a week or two. This is going to be the one (or one of the ones) that has full feathers (ie hasn't been feather pecked).

Then when they are re-introduced to the others they will feel more vuneverable, ie more of an outsider, and so be less likely to peck.

Alfietinker · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 82 Location: Southminster, Essex

Hi, I've had loads of advice from people on here so I hope I can return the favour a little.

We had the same problem with our 3 when they arrived. We couldn't easily separate them so the advice on here was to let them sort out their differences. It went on for a couple of weeks and Florence still has a bare bottom (!) but they now all get on fine. I was really worried about it but it really did stop in time, once they'd got their pecking order sorted out.

On the bare skin we keep using violet spray and we were advised to use ACV in the water, which we now do once a month.

It will be alright in the end!