Chickenspeck at everything around them, including other chickens.If pecking becomes aggressive, it can lead to injuries that need to be treated immediately.Remove the injured bird from the flock, care for its wounds, and reintegrate it once it heals.Make sure you give a good environment that reduces the urge for aggressiveness.
Step 1: Look for signs of injuries.
It is advisable to observe your flock at least 2 times per day.If you see broken or missing feathers on a bird, it's a good idea to assume a pecking injury.Don't confuse moulting with pecking injuries.The feathers of a chicken are not broken or damaged when they are moulting.Thepecking order is a normal behavior related to the hierarchy in a flock.The behavior of chickens is not uncommon.
Step 2: The injured chicken should be removed from the flock.
Immediate isolation of an injured bird is important.It increases the chances of the chicken recovering.It is a learned behavior that can spread quickly through a flock.It is a learned behavior within a flock that bleeding injuries can turn into cannibalism.Remove the bird from the flock if you can identify it and keep it in isolation while the injured bird heals.Once the pecked chicken heals, you can try reintegrating both back into the flock.
Step 3: An isolation cage should be set up for the injured bird.
The isolation cage should be smaller than the primary enclosure.Make sure it has proper bedding, a food dish, water bottle, enrichment materials, and so on.The isolation cage should be at least 2 feet in size.A medium or large dog cage can be used for isolation and treatment.Set up an isolation cage in a different location if you're isolating an attacking bird.
Step 4: Stop the bleeding with a clean cloth if you have gloves.
Put on gloves and hold a cloth to the wound until the bleeding stops.Try to keep the chicken calm as you hold it in your arms.You can protect your hands while handling the chicken with dish gloves.If the wound is not actively bleeding, put gloves on.
Step 5: If you want to look at the wound, rinse the area with water.
While maintaining a secure hold on the bird, rinse the wound with clean water.Get a good look at the wound by removing feathers.You can probably nurse the chicken back to health if the wound is mostly red and bruised.
Step 6: If you have severe and/or internal injuries, seek the assistance of a poultry vet.
If the bleeding doesn't stop, the wound is large, or the pecking has penetrated deep into the chicken's flesh, you cannot heal it on your own.Call a vet who specializes in poultry.It can be hard to find a vet that will care for injured chickens.If they are willing to kill the chicken for you, you can decide if you want to do it in a humane way.
Step 7: During continued isolation, apply wound spray.
After inspecting the wound, apply a poultry wound care spray to it.The package tells you to use the spray 3 times a day until the injury heals.There are agricultural supply stores that sell poultry wound spray.The chicken needs to be isolated until the wound heals.
Step 8: Reintegrate a healing bird with a concealing wound spray.
If you want to return the bird to the flock while it heals, you can use a pre-dyed wound spray.The dye hides the wound so that other chickens are not encouraged to peck at it.The sight of a bleeding wound encourages the other chickens to keep attacking it.It is possible that it encourages fighting or other aggressive behavior.The spray hides the wound and blood.The instructions for using the product are in the package.At agricultural supply stores, you can find wound concealing spray.This is not as effective as keeping the bird isolated.
Step 9: Provide lots of water.
Ensure that the injured chicken always has an ample supply of fresh water during its healing process.Adding an electrolyte supplement to its water supply will promote healing.If the bird eats less than usual for a few days, you don't need to worry.Make sure it's hydrated.Pets can be bought at pet suppliers or feed stores.Some are drops and others are powder.The package might tell you to add a packet of powder to 1 US gal of water for up to 5 days.
Step 10: Check on the bird at least 5 times a day.
Slowly reintegrate the injured bird into the flock, as if it is a new bird.You can move the temporary cage next to the main enclosure for a few days before releasing it into the flock.Keep a close eye on the bird after it has rejoined the flock.You may need to remove the bird permanently if it is being pecked aggressively again.If you isolated a bird that was aggressive, reintegrate it and watch it the same way.Remove it permanently if it starts playing aggressively again.
Step 11: Choose birds that have been bred to be less aggressive.
Aggressive pecking is mostly a learned behavior within a flock, but there is a hereditary component as well.Ask any chicken breeders you use about the behavior of their stock to reduce pecking.Chickens have an innate behavior of pecking.Even birds that are bred to be less aggressive can become cannibals under poorly-maintained conditions.
Step 12: Chickens need adequate spacing in their enclosure.
Chickens are more likely to peck at each other if they are crowded together.The more room you can give your birds, the less likely they will engage in aggressive pecking.Minimum ground space per bird is 5 sq ft.This is not a cure-all.Chickens can engage in aggressive behavior.
Step 13: The enclosure should have comfortable temperatures and lighting.
If the temperature drops below 70 F, the chickens may be more aggressive.The chickens are exposed to more than 16 hours of light per day and will become agitated and more prone to pecking it.If the coop gets too hot during the summer or if it needs a heating source, give it a suitable source.12-16 hours of light per day is ideal to encourage egg production, and you can use a timer to limit when the light is on.
Step 14: Contribute to adequate nutrition and encourage behavior.
Provide a high-quality chicken feed.Throw in up to an additional 5 g of feed per chicken in the enclosure and cover it with straw, grass clippings, or leafy greens.Foraging for food will keep the chickens occupied and allow them to engage in safe behavior.Chickens that are underfed may resort to cannibalism in order to get adequate nutrition.
Step 15: To keep the birds occupied, offer lots of enrichment materials.
Chickens are less likely to peck at each other if you give them other things to play with.You can get pecking blocks at feed stores if you add several of the following to the enclosure.You can simply scatter them.Pieces of your Christmas tree after the season is over.Place the tree in 3 or more sections.There are old soccer balls and footballs.They can either be fully inflated or partially inflated.There are lengths of rope and twine.They can hang down to about 6 in (15 cm) off the ground if they are tied to the ceiling.There are plastic water bottles.You strung the twine from the ceiling.
Step 16: The flock size should be less than 30 birds.
According to anecdotal evidence, flocks of around 30 birds are most likely to be aggressive.The birds can establish apecking order in which each bird recognizes all the others with smaller flocks.The urge to peck as a means of social control is weakened by the sheer size of larger flocks.