my chickens are attacking each other

Laura July 28, 2010 at 2:19pm

Ummm, thank you all for your feedback on my angry chickens. Looks like the discussion is evolving to other issues not related to my original post. Lots of good info regarding what to feed/not to feed the birds during the summer heat. Also, lots of varying opinions. Maybe this conversation could now be moved to another discussion topic so others can join in? Just suggesting.

peace,
Laura
ps...my girls still hate each other :(

Ericka > Laura July 28, 2010 at 2:34pm

I agree Laura, this post has been highjacked!

BTW, our mean hen is penned up by herself today. The other two are doing good together. The real test will be reintroducing the meanie back into the flock of three. Hopefully since your 4 are still new and only 10 months old that your issue is just a pecking order thing and will work itself out. Looking back, I would have gotten some rooster booster before we left and at least did that. I haven't called around for it yet, but will have it on hand for the re-introduction. Just keep a watch on the one getting attacked, especially in the coop where it traps them from running away easily. Maybe try rooster booster, can't hurt.

I really feel the heat has so much to do with health and happiness in general. If you spent the whole day outside in the heat, you would be pissy and ill feeling too! :) Can you imagine popping out an egg as well with all that-YUCK! Poor chickens.

Laureen Grenus July 28, 2010 at 8:52am

what types of healthy protein do you suggest for chickens chris ?

Michael and Lylah Ledner July 27, 2010 at 8:48pm

Chris....my birds have slowwedddd way down on laying eggs. We did add new birds 2 weeks ago and all seem to be "happy"...however egg production is horrible. I'm wondering if because we've been adding those 'treats' ...watermelon, etc if that could add to the heat stress and cause production to be really low. thoughts?

Rachel > Michael and Lylah Ledner July 27, 2010 at 9:04pm

No, it's just the heat. Watermelon helps with the heat stress by keeping them hydrated. July/August are always poor laying months in Phoenix. It is not uncommon to have your egg output reduced by half or even two-thirds.

Oddly, my coturnix quail which are more heat-sensitive than the chickens, are laying like mad. There are only 8 females in the flock right now and I've been getting 9 and 10 eggs a day. How's that for overachieving!
Rachel > Rachel July 28, 2010 at 12:07pm

I think the key to why you're getting that many eggs is the fact that you are raising first year production reds rather than your feed mix/misters/lack of fruits/vegetables. My production birds (Ideal 236 white leghorns) lay 6+ eggs a week each through the heat. My heritage birds do not. I find there is a substantial difference in laying between laying breeds like barred rocks, RIR's etc and "production" breeds like your production reds and my ideal 236's. My guess is that Michael and Lylah are raising a mixed flock that has a large portion of heritage laying breeds. If not... well then there are likely other issues that need addressing if those are first year birds.

I feel very strongly that it is advantageous and not in any way detrimental to feed the birds small amounts of fruits/vegetables every day, especially the 'watery' ones. It is unfair and inaccurate to categorize fruits and vegetables as "candy". Birds need more than protein and are naturally omnivorous. I would never encourage replacing feed with your own ration, or even substantially supplementing, but a little added produce serves both in hydration but also gives them micronutrients, vitamins and minerals. It has been well studied that heat stress causes a depletion in several minerals--namely potassium, sodium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus. The birds can regain some of those through produce as well as their regular ration. If you want to see which vitamins and minerals fruits and veggies contain here's an easy chart I just found: http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.html
Rachel > Rachel July 28, 2010 at 3:19pm

This chart simply serves to tell you the amounts of specific vitamins and minerals so you can choose produce with higher amounts of the minerals known to be reduced in heat stress. It is not meant to imply that humans and chickens have similar dietary needs.
Michael and Lylah Ledner > Rachel July 27, 2010 at 9:34pm

Rachel....thanks....but we have 47 hens and get 6 or so eggs a day...that's horrible. They are all layers.

Rachel July 27, 2010 at 3:45pm

This time of year I like to feed the birds juicy treats like melons, tomatoes and grapes to help keep them hydrated. They aren't hard to digest and have a high water content. As was said previously, if your bird isn't feeling well, the other birds will know and be very aggressive towards her. In my estimation it's less likely to be a physical injury than just feeling a bit 'under the weather'. If you aren't already, give them some frozen water bottles (open the lids so they can drink the cool water as it melts). You can definitely see more crankiness with the heat, just like with people. :)

Ericka- I think it would be a good idea to put some rooster booster no pick on her head right before you reunite them, when it's wet it's especially effective at deterring pecking. If you don't already have some, call around to see who closest to you has it (I don't remember if Tempe F&T carries it).

Ericka > Rachel July 27, 2010 at 6:16pm

Tempe did not have the Rooster Booster, or we would have got it with all the other meds we picked up. This was a good lesson on having a small kit for emergencies available, and Rooster Booster is on the list of "need to get." Have you had any experience with an open wound and the Rooster Booster? Is it like a gooey gel? My mother inlaw said they used to use tar to stop chickens from pecking each other back in the day. Much of what we found on open wounds was: wet wound, dry bandage. Dry wound (whatever that would be?) wet bandage. Lot of talk about maggots getting into wounds dressed with items like neosporin and so the recommended item was the blue wound stuff. You can still see the hole, but the blue wound really covers it well. Eventually a chunk of dead skin will be falling off, you can see the spot. She has taken a dust bath today-hard to keep a chicken clean all the time! I would suspect it will take weeks before this will heal up totally and she might be scarred there for life. We have photos.... :{

We have let our hen back in the coop, and have penned the mean gal up in the dog crate and she is also in the coop. Mrs. G and Blackey are just being chickens so far, and things look normal between the two of them. Now, we have to figure out what to do with the mean gal and how to let her back with confidence.

Interesting on the food topic, we collect greens from a local coffee shop for the chickens. They LOVE the bucket of goodies, but this looks like it may have added to the issues with the heat. It sometimes has more bread than I prefer, which is a carb heavy item, but they really don't care for the bread so much and focus on the lettuce and apple cores more. It was just so weird this happened, they have always got along so well. I guess sometimes chickens just "snap!" and have bad moments. Fingers crossed harmony will return.

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my chickens are attacking each other

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