Stop Chickens Hurting Each Other: A Quick Guide

Chickens are interesting creatures that can go from calm to aggressive in a matter of minutes. While it is normal for chickens to peck at each other gently, sometimes chicken bullying can become a problem, leading to hurt chickens. This behaviour may be caused by overcrowding, social problems, or even something as simple as a broken egg. To prevent chickens from hurting each other, you can try to identify and address the root cause of their stress, whether that be by providing more space, reducing flock size, or removing broken eggs.

Isolate the injured chicken to prevent further harm from the bullying chicken

When a chicken is injured, it is important to isolate it from the rest of the flock to prevent further harm or bullying. This can be done by setting up a separate space away from the coop, such as inside the house, in a garage, or basement. A dog kennel cage is a good option as it is spacious and easy to clean. It is also important to ensure that the injured chicken remains calm during this process. Wrapping it loosely in a towel can help with this.

Once the injured chicken is in a safe space, it is important to address any bleeding wounds. Use a clean towel, gauze, or paper towel to apply gentle but firm pressure to the wound until the bleeding stops. Vinyl gloves should be worn when treating wounds. After controlling the bleeding, assess and clean the injuries by examining the chicken from head to toe. Bathing the bird can make it easier to find wounds, especially puncture wounds.

In addition to treating wounds, providing the injured chicken with electrolytes and water is crucial. Adding a vitamin/electrolyte supplement to the drinking water for a day or two can help with any shock from the injury. However, it is important to not give chickens electrolytes for more than three days as it can have negative effects. Keep the chicken hydrated at all times, even if it means offering water by spoon or dropper. Food is less critical than water initially, but if the chicken is not eating independently after a day or so, it can be fed by spoon, dropper, syringe, or tube-fed a liquid diet.

While the injured chicken is recovering, it is important to deny the bully chicken freedom and status, as this can help calm its aggression. This can be done by setting up a separate, temporary pen next to the existing coop or allowing the injured chicken to free-range while the flock is locked up. Seeing the injured chicken roam free can lower the social status of the bully chicken and develop some room for negotiation in the social order.

Overall, isolating the injured chicken and providing proper care is crucial to preventing further harm and promoting recovery. By following these steps and addressing the bullying behavior, you can help create a safer environment for your chickens.

Address bleeding and clean wounds

When addressing bleeding and cleaning wounds in an injured chicken, follow these steps:

Firstly, it is important to isolate the injured chicken from the rest of the flock to avoid further injury. Wrap the chicken in a large towel to keep it calm and move it to a safe, quiet space, such as a dog kennel cage, where it can recover. This space should be conveniently located for frequent observation.

Next, stop any bleeding by applying gentle but firm pressure to the wound with a clean towel, gauze, or paper towel. Vinyl gloves are recommended when treating wounds. Once the bleeding has stopped, clean the wound. A saline solution, made by mixing four cups of cooled boiled water with two teaspoons of salt, can be used to clean out an open wound, especially a deep or dirty one, with the help of a syringe or dropper.

After cleaning, apply an antiseptic to prevent potential bacterial or fungal infections. Blu-Kote is a recommended product that treats lesions by killing germs and speeding up the healing process. Over the next few days, continue to monitor the injury, repeating the cleaning and antiseptic application process as needed. Keep the wound clean and dry, and separate the chicken from the flock if necessary to ensure other chickens don't aggravate the wound.

Provide vitamins and water

It is important to provide vitamins and water to an injured chicken. Water is involved in every aspect of a chicken's metabolism, from regulating body temperature to digesting food and eliminating body waste. A dehydrated bird will have difficulty recovering. If your chicken is injured, it is recommended to keep it in a quiet space away from the coop, inside the house, garage, or basement. This space should be spacious, easy to clean, and have cups for food and water to keep the litter, food, and water clean and dry.

Chickens typically go to water first when stressed, so providing a vitamin supplement via their water source can help get them back on track and prevent further illness. Vitamin supplements can also help prevent deficiencies when used at the right time. For example, vitamin K is needed for normal blood clotting and can be found in leafy greens and alfalfa. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in a chicken's body, so they must be replenished more frequently than fat-soluble vitamins. An excess of water-soluble vitamins is less likely to be dangerous, as the body expels any extra vitamins that are not needed.

If your chicken is in pain, you can dissolve 5 aspirin per gallon of water, which should help reduce the pain. However, make sure the chicken is no longer bleeding before doing this, as aspirin thins the blood and can increase bleeding. You can also add an electrolyte supplement to the drinking water for a day or two to help with any shock from the injury. However, never give chickens electrolytes for more than three days, as it can result in the opposite of the intended effect.

It is also important to ensure your chickens are not overcrowded, as this can be a main cause of chickens bullying each other. Make sure they have enough space, food, roosts, and nests, and consider separating the chickens if the problem persists.

Reduce overcrowding

Overcrowding is a common issue that can lead to chickens pecking and bullying each other. Chickens need space to roam and express natural behaviours, and when they are confined, this can lead to aggressive behaviours.

To reduce overcrowding, you have a few options. Firstly, you could increase the size of the chicken coop and run, providing more space for your chickens to move around. This can be a costly option, but it will give your chickens more room to establish their own territories and reduce the likelihood of them pecking each other out of frustration.

If expanding the coop is not feasible, then consider reducing the number of chickens you have. While it may be difficult to part with some of your chickens, it could significantly improve the wellbeing of the remaining flock. Alternatively, you could build a second coop and divide your chickens into smaller groups, ensuring that each group has enough space to roam and access to resources.

In addition to space, it is important to provide interactive objects and activities to keep your chickens entertained and reduce boredom. Boredom can lead to pecking behaviours, so providing distractions such as logs, branches, swings, or a pecking block can help keep your chickens mentally stimulated and reduce the likelihood of them pecking each other.

By addressing overcrowding and providing an engaging environment, you can help reduce aggression and promote happier, healthier chickens.

Address social issues. Or, replace the attacking chicken with a calmer one

If you have a chicken that is hurting another chicken, there are a few things you can try to address the issue. Firstly, it's important to understand the underlying causes of the aggressive behaviour. Chickens have a social structure that is strongly based on dominance and establishing a pecking order. Overcrowding in the chicken coop is a common cause of bullying and aggression among chickens. They may not have enough room to relax and walk around, and establishing a pecking order can lead to fighting for dominance. Ensure that your chickens have plenty of space to roam and that their living environment is adequately ventilated. Consider making the chicken coop larger or reducing the number of chickens in the flock. Provide multiple eating and drinking stations to prevent chickens from fighting over limited resources.

Additionally, individual chickens may have personality traits that make them more prone to aggression. If a particular chicken is consistently hurting others, it may be necessary to replace it with a calmer chicken. De-spurring a rooster, for example, can help prevent the hens from being hurt. However, if the behaviour persists, replacing the rooster with a calmer one may be the best option.

It's also important to be cautious when interacting with aggressive chickens yourself. While some people suggest chasing and lightly kicking an aggressive chicken to establish dominance, this can sometimes worsen the bird's aggression. Roosters and dominant hens may attack people to protect their flock from perceived threats. Instead of engaging in aggressive behaviour, try offering treats to associate yourself with a food source rather than a potential threat.

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