Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Nicki85 on February 29, 2012, 09:19

Title: pecking
Post by: Nicki85 on February 29, 2012, 09:19

Hi all,
i've noticed recently that my two most dominate chooks (out of the four of them) are pecking the other two more.  The thing is that the other two (that are being pecked) don't seem to mind.  They just stand there and let them peck.  They mainly peck at their backs and on the side of their necks next to their wattles.  It doesn't seem to be causing a problem on their back, apart from messing the feathers up, but on the side of their neck one has a small bald patch.  I assume its some sort of dominance thing as I do not have a cockerel and with it being spring hormones might be running a bit wild?! The two that are being pecked have just come back into lay and will even crouch for the two that are dominate.   

We have not had a problem with this before although this is the first spring I've had them!  Nothing has changed... they have lots of space in their run and they have a hanging cabbage and pellets all day.  Can someone reassure me that the pecking will start to calm down soon?!

Title: Re: pecking
Post by: joyfull on February 29, 2012, 12:33

check that they don't have lice - they could be pecking to get those  :(

Title: Re: pecking
Post by: Nicki85 on February 29, 2012, 13:29

Ok will have a look and see if I can see any.  I've never treated them for lice so it might well be that!  Can you see them moving or am I looking for eggs?

Title: Re: pecking
Post by: joyfull on February 29, 2012, 13:52

here you will find photos of adult lice and their eggs:-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0

Title: Re: pecking
Post by: hen-night on February 29, 2012, 23:10

I have 5 hens but only one is dominant, she asserts her dominance daily over the other 4 hens with the usual peck. I leave her alone as she is not overly agressive but just lets them know who is boss. If she was to draw blood on any other hen I would consider isolating her until the hierarchy changed.

Title: Re: pecking
Post by: Nicki85 on March 01, 2012, 09:21

I just don't understand why they stand there and let her peck them  :blink:  They have loads of room to run away!  :wacko:

I'll be checking for mites this weekend... thank you for the link  :)

On a good note Delia managed to lay a perfect egg today  :tongue2: She had a lot of problems with softies last year and I was expecting the same this year as she came back into lay... But no! well done Delia!