# help, chickens pecking each other



## kthorne (Sep 9, 2011)

hi, im new to keeping chickens. I have 5 Hybrid chickens since March when they were POL.

The problem im having is they peck each other and pull feathers out.
At first it was just a couple but now its all of them.
I thought it could be mites and have been using a mite and lice powder for the past 2 months.
I have tried using a no peck spray.
I clean the coop everyweek and treat for mites.
They have pellet food and grit
They get left overs, pasta, greens etc
They have things to do in there part of the garden, cds hanging different levels, places to hide.
They get let out when im at home in a large garden.

Please help i hate to see them looking this way, they look terrible, two of them are down to the white fluffy feathers on the back with red bald patches on the side.

What else can i try to stop this.


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## Guest (Sep 9, 2011)

they might have lice or red mite


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## kthorne (Sep 9, 2011)

Thanks, thats what i thought. i have been treating them for it for 2 months now and its not getting any better


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## Guest (Sep 9, 2011)

kthorne said:


> Thanks, thats what i thought. i have been treating them for it for 2 months now and its not getting any better


if treating for red mite you have to spray there living space red mite live in the small gaps inside cabins


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## Guest (Sep 9, 2011)

you can buy a spray called chicken feather pluck stop its good


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## kthorne (Sep 9, 2011)

I have been using a mite powder which you have to put on the bird and in the coop and i have also been using the anti peck spray.

I just dont know what else i can try.

There is no sign of red mites


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2011)

give them something to do they might be bored .old rotten wood keeps them busy picking bugs out grass cuttings green veg put sand and straw for them to scrat in


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## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

Hi KThorne - I just started getting interested in chickens and was wondering how yours are doing now? Did the problem get resolved? Did you have to take a chicken to the vet to get the problem identified/a suggestion for a cure?


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

I wouldn't bother with bug powder - the spot on treatments are far better at killing lice - you need to repeat it 14 days after the initial treatment as lice eggs can't be killed by anything so killing them when they hatch is the only option. Likewise the powder is useless on the chook house too - the sprays you get are the best thing. 
Once you have ruled out bugs, then I'd say they are probably bored, once they get a taste for plucking they'll keep doing it unless you break the cycle, also over stocking birds in a small area can lead to bullying. Agree with the above poster - provide stuff they can scratch through like straw, dead leaves, bark chips etc, throw some corn into it so they have to work for their food, I'd also hang up whole lettuce or cabbage, CD's are fine for a bit but once they get used to them they ignore them, whole corn on the cobs are another thing they love and take a while to eat - you just have to make up ways of keeping them busy, as they are not that stupid!, when they are penned up. I think you can even get treat balls for chooks now too - that you fill up and they have to push it around to get the food out - worth a try!


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