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Stop chickens from pecking each other

Keep chickens from pecking each other. Put a little vinegar in their drinking water.


Visitors comments



Chickens who peck other chickens Comments By: Ed Stefansen
I was just curious as to how much vinegar you are suppose to put in the wather. Why does the vinegar work?

TipKing says: Just a very small amount, I would say a cup full to a gallon of water

 
Essentials oils Comments By: Sharon
Try a drop of Oregano Essential Oil at the base of their tails.
 
chicken pecking Comments By: Holly
How long do you have to give them the vinegar water?

TipKing says: If it not working after say 10 days then it is not working. Sorry not to be any more help

 
Chicken Pecking Comments By: Nonnie
We just inherited a dozen chickens and they're all badly pecked and de-feathered. We want to rejuvenate them quickly and will appreciate any advice. Question: Did you mean 1 CUP vinegar to 1 gallon of water? That doesn't seem like a "small" amount. Not being critical, just want to be sure I do this right! Thanks.

TipKing says: They may not have been pecking each other. Their state may be a result of where they where. I was just guessing with the cup amount. Try just half a cup and maybe increase the amount if needed. It will not do them any harm. Just make sure that they are drinking it okay, by that I mean getting enough fluids.

They will be soon up and about and living life to the full.

 
What kind of vinegar? Comments By: Robin
What kind of vinegar can you put in the chickens water to stop them from pecking each other?

TipKing says: Any type of vinegar will do however many people prefer the white (clear) vinegar

 
Oregano Essential Oil Comments By: Dana
Where can I get Oregano Essential Oil from?
 
chicken pecking cure Comments By: Yvonne
Just came on to see if there was a cure for this as I have one hen that will not leave the others alone, got so bad last night I had to seperate her, didnt like doing this. I will try the vinegar and fingers crossed it will work.
 
Feather pecking and eating them Comments By: B.Bacon
We have recently bought 16 rare breed poults, they have just started laying but are pecking each others feathers and eating them. We have had hybrid chicken in the past and not encountered this problem. We have added vinegar to their water as from today, but why are they eating feathers.
 
Hens Pecking at the Rooster Comments By: Barbara
We have 10 chickens and one rooster, most of the chickens peck the feathers off the rooster and the rooster does nothing about it. Our rooster does not even make any noise since we have had him, we have had them all for two weeks Why are they behaving like this
 
Vinegar in water Comments By: Tkagie
What does the vinegar do to the chickens that makes them stop? Does anyone know why vinegar works?
 
chicken pecking Comments By: Nat
an old man we had met said to give them styrofoam for pecking...we are desperate to stop them from killing each other..so we did and they go crazy for it...i am sure it's not healthy..but none dead today...will try vinegar now!!...
 
chickens and vinegar Comments By: anon
if u spray vinegar on plants, will it be harmful to the chickens who may eat it?
 
pecking chickens Comments By: nanc
I'm having the problem of my chickens pecking eachother. And I looked up natural wormers. It said to use 1 tablespoon to a gal of water. You use this remedy daily.
 
chicken pecking Comments By: anon
there are many reasons chickens peck feathers- to crowded, deficiencies in food, etc. to treat you first have to figure out why they are pecking. don't give them styrofoam it can contain chemicals that can kill your birds. you can try spraying "blue kote" on the ones being picked it has and antiseptic and may taste bad. this is a frustrating problem, good luck
 
eliminate smell variance Comments By: elaine
sometimes a chicken smells different and a light dusting of all the hens with a lice powder will make them all smell the same. Also I purchased a "Flock Block" which is an large, hard block of seed and they love pecking at it. It has reduced their boredom. I will try the vinegar too.
 
IM A BEGINNER Comments By: suesck@hotmail.com
WE BOUGHT CHICKEN THAT WERE FREE RANG 5 TO BE EXACT WELL WE PENNED THEM &THEY DID WELL FOR A WEEK.MY HUSBAND BOUGHT 5 MORE WE PUT THEM IN WITH THE OTHERS THEY ARE KILLING EACH OTHER I HAVE SEPARATED THE REDS AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IS THIS A TERRITORIAL THING?
 
Naughty chicken Comments By: From Robbie age 11
We have 4 chickens. Our chickens have been pecking one of the small chickens so we have put the boss in a different pen we are feeding the naughty chicken pellets. And treats for the good one's and pellets.now we only get 3 eggs a day when we got 4 eggs before they were picking on the small one.

TipKing says: This made me smile. I am sure that they will get back when the boss is put back in her place

 
chicken pecking other chicken Comments By: anon
We are new chicken owners and have two ex battery hens. One is attacking the other,has anyone got a suggestion on how to stop this

TipKing says: They are fighting to find out who will be boss. If the attacked one is being injured separate them for a while and try introducing slowly. I know it is awful to see. When I introduced a cockerel to 6 hens they pecked him till he bled. He won in the end and ended up ruling the roost. Terms like 'ruling the roost' and 'pecking order' are very descriptive of what happens.
GOOD LUCK!

 
having pecking problems Comments By: Anon
has anyone had success in using Blue Kote to get chickens to stop pecking? We have some Blue Kote but have not used it because we're concerned about it 'tainting' the eggs they lay and possibly not being able to eat the chickens once they stop laying. Are these valid concerns?
 
any success, anybody Comments By: Shon
Has anyone had success using the vinegar
 
chickens pecking each other Comments By: cheryl coronel
a friend suggested adding a little iodine to the drinking water, has anyone else heard of this
 
tail pecking remedies Comments By: Mags
I have been advised to use Vaseline, a liberal amount. Someone else told me to use Stockholm Tar, but I think that sounds a bit drastic. I look forward to trying the vinegar which I will put in a separate container so they have access to ordinary water as well. I would like to know why the vinegar works.
 
Chickens pecking to death Comments By: Spencer
I had about 25 adult chickens and they were doing fine. Then i bought about 80 chicks and put them in a seperate shed. The younger 80 were picking eachother to death. We put the younger ones with the older ones after they got to be about the same weight and size so they would have more room in the bigger shed. The pecking keeps going on with the younger ones. They still kill eachother and they are suppost to be laying soon, but they keep dying. What should I do? Please help me!

TipKing says: Oh my goodness I am so sorry that you are going through this. Chickens can be so cruel. I can only offer the advice that is on these pages. Sorry not to be anymore help

 
Vinegar Comments By: Spencer
I have a question about the vinegar. What does it do to make the chickens stop picking each other?
 
question Comments By: me
why is vinegar helpful?? if never says. we have seven chickens in out backyard and one is gettng badly beat up by the other chickens. we are going to try washers and a flock block and maybe take out the tough chickens and of course vinegar and see how that goes.. but i do not want to seperate them
 
The reason vinegar works! Comments By: Calvin
The reason vinegar works is because the birds are having a vitamin deficiency and vinegar has almost all the vitamins they need. There are also vitamins you can get from most feed stores but much more expensive and yes a tea spoon full to a gallon of water is all you need!
 
Vaseline Comments By: Mags
I used the vaseline for 3 consecutive nights, and it worked! She stopped pecking her tail and her rival for leadership stopped pecking her too. Apparently they don't like it gungeing up their beaks. She looked a bit scruffy for a while, but now her tail is growing back nicely. She is now bottom in the pecking order, but seems quite happy with that.
 
CHICKENS PICKING Comments By: Shirley
If one Chicken is picking the rest I sove that problem very Quick.Its called a AX and dinner My dad raised 10s of thousands of chickens for Companys that use them to sell in stories for food in his life time.The Ax works every time no waiting .
 
pecking Comments By: Anon
i have about 13 chickens, they peck eachother till they bleed, then the one thats the worst off dies. i've tried vinegar but it doesn't seem to work any suggestions?
 
i also have chickens - and the same problem Comments By: Anon
I have had my 6 chickens around a year now, but this problem is relatively new I have 2 chickens worse than the others. I have tried spraying there "bald" areas with stockholm tar so the feathers will not taste nice but this has not worked. I am willing to try vinegar but I am not sure on how exactly it works... any other sugestions will be extremely useful thanx.
 
try beef fat Comments By: franky j
A great uncle who bred chickens all his life said the hens peck feathers for the fat content in the quill. Ihave just hung a chunk of fat in the hen house as my hens have defeathered a couple of tails, they immediately ate some of the fat. I don't believe it is to do with pecking order in my hen house.
 
I REALLY NEED HELP!!! Comments By: brandon
My brother went outside to check on our seven chickens and he noticed that they were attacking one of them. they pecked it so badly that it has lost more than half of its feathers. I really need to know how to stop this before they kill eachother. please help!!!
 
Try Scarper anti peck spray Comments By: simon
Scaper anti peck spray is designed for this situation.
http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Scarper_anti_peck_spray.html

 
My two roosters are attacking just one hen out of 12! Help!!! Comments By: Kataryna Barringer
I have 14 chickens and in that are two roosters. They are all good w each other, but they attack just one hen. I have tried a blue lotion spray for her neck bleeding areas, but she is so afraid that i have to hand feed her. She is fine w the hens is the roosters that the moment they see her the attack only her. HELP, and does any one know why?
 
stop them chickens from eaten each other Comments By: Smittysmith
Iam from south Louisiana and dats what we do here is raise them chickens . To stop this from happen you need to put crawfish heads after the boil or crabs they need something to peck at that's what is wrong wit dem
 
How does the vinagar help?? and why do they do it? Comments By: Fredie jess
one of my 8 chickens has had a very bad peck on its back and i think the other chickens pecked it and it was bleeding how do i save it??????

TipKing says: You may have to seperate it and gradually allow it back in the fold

 
Pecking Me !! Comments By: harrised
We have just got some 4 sussex and to rhode red pullets, they have intergrated into the flock of silkies and belgiums fine but they constantly peck at the back of our legs when they see us, one is starting to fly up at us. they have a large range to peck around in, do you think it would help to contain them to a smaller area. first new blood I've brought in for 20 yrs, hate to see them headless. they only occasionaly peck each other.
 
How do i stop my to hens from pecking each other?? Comments By: Lissa:)
I have 7 hens about 8 months old. 2 road island reds 2 easter eggers, 2 austrolorps and 1 plymouth rock. i had another plymouth rock but she died about a month ago. She was sort of "the head" of all the other chickens. Ive noticed the 2 road island reds are like attacking the easter egger and she fights back. They like stare at each other for a few seconds the start jusmping on each other and pecking. I thought since the Plymouth rock hen (the"leader") died then they may be trying to re-establish there pecking order. ( ranked in toughness) they are not constantly fighting... just when they get real close to each other. I dont want them to hurt each other but a lot of chicken owners are telling me to let them figure out THEMSELVES who is tougher. plz help im not sure if i should just let them go through it. or i should try to stop it. I guess thins is what they do in nature though.

TipKing says:I know it is cruel to watch but they will sort it out. Sorry you are going through this.

 


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