Pecked hiney

[Mandee297]

My poor girl has been enduring some hiney pecking last couple weeks. I bring in. Clean. Blukote, hen healer, no peck lotion. I have a flock of four girls and they’re all the same age. Everyone is laying now healthy eggs. I feel so bad for this girl. Will she ever have her fluff butt back.
This is their feed
Kalmbach Feeds All Natural 16% Flock Maintainer Duck & Chicken Feed, 50-lb bag:
https://app.chewy.com/06qUyo1ZDdb
I’ve been doing scrambled eggs on weekend. Grubs daily.
Attaching images of their run. I’ve cluttered it more. Two stinkers still peck.

 

[B-Goock]

Dang. What if you make like a hiney apron..... a butt flap. Lol

Or isolate the picky butt nippers.

I would also check very close for lice or mites. Maybe they peck cause they see critters?

 

[Mandee297]

Dang. What if you make like a hiney apron..... a butt flap. Lol

Or isolate the picky butt nippers.

I would also check very close for lice or mites. Maybe they peck cause they see critters?

Was thinking about the butt flap! I do inspect her hiney super close. (Closer than I’d ever imagine being next to a chickens butt lol) and see no signs of bugs. It’s not very raw anymore so I painted it blue today. . i love her so much. I love the two peckies too. I wish everyone just loved eachother

 

[B-Goock]

Maybe try going to a higher protein diet to help her build feathers back. Ive been giving mine 22%. Feathers are all protein.

If you make a butt flap I'm sure everyone will wanna see pics. I did something similar to my pug but it was him causing the constant wound.

Mater was in a habit of finding things to itch his back till he would bleed. Vet. Meds. Allergy check. Heal some.. He'd be at it again. Irritating the wound. Changed food. Block his favorite itching places etc. Again.... argh! Over and over. It never healed.
I treated his skin and duct taped his back so he couldnt rub his skin on stuff. He finally healed enough it didn't itch anymore and I trimmed his hair to get the tape off. No problems anymore.

 

[rosemarythyme]

x2 on increasing protein, 16% is minimal and they may be wanting more.

I also have a hen getting picked on, as she's special needs and struggles to chase off anyone pecking her, but for me regular applications of BluKote (like every other day) seems to help deter it quite a lot.

The feathers will try to grow back the next time she molts (even a mini molt should do) but it's tough if the others won't let up to let her grow them back.

 

[Mandee297]

x2 on increasing protein, 16% is minimal and they may be wanting more.

I also have a hen getting picked on, as she's special needs and struggles to chase off anyone pecking her, but for me regular applications of BluKote (like every other day) seems to help deter it quite a lot.

The feathers will try to grow back the next time she molts (even a mini molt should do) but it's tough if the others won't let up to let her grow them back.

Do you think 18% protein would be a good increase? Seems most are 16%. And thank you

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you think 18% protein would be a good increase? Seems most are 16%. And thank you

18% is pretty good but might want to bump it to 20% for the time being to see if that makes a difference. Layer doesn't tend to come with higher calcium, but feel free to use all flock or even non-medicated chick feed to bring up protein % (and have oyster shell on the side to supplement calcium).

 

[Mandee297]

18% is pretty good but might want to bump it to 20% for the time being to see if that makes a difference. Layer doesn't tend to come with higher calcium, but feel free to use all flock or even non-medicated chick feed to bring up protein % (and have oyster shell on the side to supplement calcium).

Thank you. Should I mix the chick feed into my all flock which is 16%? Or just do only the chick feed

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've never had issue switching cold turkey so I would try all chick feed only, to avoid them pecking out the food they're unfamiliar with to get to the feed they are familiar with. However if you want to ease them into it (and have a lot of all flock on hand) you could also try doing 50-50 for a week or so and see how that goes.

 

[B-Goock]

You can just use meatbird feed.
Really the only reason layers typically get fed lower protein is so they don't get too much fat. A little extra fat in the winter can help them stay warm. Alot of the labels on feed are just marketing. I look on the tag. They do put more calcium in layer but sometimes alot more fiber. More fiber more poo and possibly they eat even more because their bodies just pass food through quickly. Eat more you buy more. Feed companies make more money.

Some breeders I've heard feeding even higher than 24% to their breeding flock.