The decision to resort to cannibalism can set in quickly in a henhouse, so it is vital to be ready to step in and prevent this disastrous outcome. Often, extre me hen pecking leads to cannibalism, which is why it is so essential to stop any aggression before it gets out of hand. In some cases, extreme pecking is a response to a separate injury a hen has suffered, like when hens peck at a prolapsed vent. Extreme pecking will be visible in deep cuts and lesions on the victimized chicken. Much like feather plucking, extreme pecking comes as the result of a deeper issue within the chicken co op and is an indication that your chickens have become overly aggressive. Typically chickens who have fallen victim to feather plucking need to be isolated for some time and then reintroduced to the flock. This type of pecking is excruciating and is often the result of a deepe r issue within the chicken coop. Unlike regular pecking, feather picking is when one or more hens will gang up on a lesser hen and pluck her feathers with their beaks. Feather Pluckingįeather plucking is one of the more common forms of aggressive pecking and is usually an indication that things have gotten out of hand in the henhouse. As a result, those hens which are closer to the bottom of this social construct are at a higher risk of injury due to pecking sores. Hens don’t just peck the hen directly below them in the order, but rather all of the hens below them. The hen at the bottom of the pecking order should be monitored closely as she is the one who will receive the most pecks. The rest of the hens will fall into place like dominoes until there is a set order. However, the majority of pecking exhibited among the flock is simply a genetic predisposition of chickens for creating and establishing order.Īs a pecking order is established, the lead hen will peck at the hen directly beneath her. For the most part, this type of pecking is non-violent and is instead used to determine rank.įor new chicken owners, there is a fear that the normal amount of pecking needed to establish the pecking order might go too far and in some instances, it certainly can. In every henhouse, there is a natural social order called “the pecking order.” As the name would suggest, this social hierarchy is established through the physical act of pecking. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to keep your chickens healthy and sore free! The Pecking Order
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Below you will find an explanation of pecking and how to treat the sores that result from this natural behavior of chickens. However, there are instances where chicken pecking sores are simply the beginning of a more significant issue within the coop. Fo r the most part, pecking sores are easily treatable with a poultry antimicrobial agent and some mild separation. Chicken pecking sores are not unusual, nor are they particularly worrisome. On any given day, a chicken owner wit h multiple birds could encounter pecking sores.
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