[affrica17]

I have 3 chickens in an eggloo 2 legbars and 1 marron they are let out into the garden on weekends when I'm about.  One of the leg bars has lost some feathers on her neck and on her back near her tail. I think the other 2 have been pecking her back as it has been bleeding and looks very sore. I have moved her away until it heals. Does any one know what this could be I can't seem to find any information on what this is caused by. :?: Could it be cannibilism :?:

[richyrich7]

Hi and welcome to the forums    at a guess I'd say they where probably over crowded.

Aunty's the lady to wait for she's big on eglu's  

[Aunt Sally]

I have 3 chickens in an eggloo 2 legbars and 1 marron they are let out into the garden on weekends when I'm about.  One of the leg bars has lost some feathers on her neck and on her back near her tail. I think the other 2 have been pecking her back as it has been bleeding and looks very sore. I have moved her away until it heals. Does any one know what this could be I can't seem to find any information on what this is caused by. :?: Could it be cannibilism :?:

Hi Africa17,  

Do pop up to the Welcome forum and introduce yourself.

I'd love to see a picture of your eglu and hens,  How old are they and what colour eggs do your legbars lay ?  What kind of marran is it

What run do you have on your eglu ? and what do you have in there.

The answers to these questions could help discover the reason for the feather pecking.  Purple spray mayhelp to stop the pecking but we need to know more about their run conditions !

[GrannieAnnie]

and if you can't get the wonderful purple spray (the one I have is NAF Aloe Vera Purple Spray!) try mixing a little cheap vaseline stuff with some liquid paraffin and smearing that one.  It helps dry the wound up and once the others taste it, they usually stop pecking.

Answer Aunties questions and we may find the reason.  Could be overcrowding, boredom, also apparently there is an oil that they need and if they haven't got enough, they can get it from the base of the feathers they peck off each other and eat.

I've had a lot of trouble with feather pecking in my little flock!

[Jellyhead]

Tea Tree cream also works a treat to stop feather pecking and its an antiseptic. Its all I use on mine for wounds etc

[affrica17]

Hi Aunt Sally thanks for answering my questions my hens are approx 5 months old my legbars are laying lovely turquoise eggs and my marron is big black and speckled thats all I  can tell you about her.  I have the standard run that eglu supply, they are kept on grass and moved to a fresh patch every 2 days, they are allowed to roam free on a weekend but when I'm home as I have had problems with a fox in the past.  The run has food and water nothing else in there but occasional treats.  I thought it might be caused by red mite so I have cleaned everything and put the powder in the house and nesting box aswell as chicks.  Got them some chicken spice too as a tonic!

I have 3 chickens in an eggloo 2 legbars and 1 marron they are let out into the garden on weekends when I'm about.  One of the leg bars has lost some feathers on her neck and on her back near her tail. I think the other 2 have been pecking her back as it has been bleeding and looks very sore. I have moved her away until it heals. Does any one know what this could be I can't seem to find any information on what this is caused by. :?: Could it be cannibilism :?:

Hi Africa17,  

Do pop up to the Welcome forum and introduce yourself.

I'd love to see a picture of your eglu and hens,  How old are they and what colour eggs do your legbars lay ?  What kind of marran is it

What run do you have on your eglu ? and what do you have in there.

The answers to these questions could help discover the reason for the feather pecking.  Purple spray mayhelp to stop the pecking but we need to know more about their run conditions !

[Aunt Sally]

Hi again affrica17

I think your hens are overcrowded when they are in the eglu run all day.  The standard run is really only suitable for two hens.  Omlet sell an extention you can buy to increase their space to make it more suitable.

Red mite is very rarely a problem in a eglu.  I've never seen it in 3 years of owning an eglu so as long as you keep it clean and dusted with diatom or red mite power they won't be a problem.

Add a deep box od soil for them to dustbathe in and a few things to enhance their environment.  They love climbing on things. and pecking at food hanging up.

Good luck and let us know how they are getting on.