# Bloody Backend



## camel934 (Sep 9, 2012)

I woke up Wednesday morning and went to feed my chickens when I noticed the one that is the bottom of the "pecking order" was really torn up and bloody at the base of her tail feathers. I don't know who the culprit is specifically, I am going to try and keep a better eye on them. 
I used a spray calls Blu-Kote.


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## GenFoe (Apr 3, 2013)

Oh! That is pretty bad! I use veterycin on my birds when they get injuries and it seems to be wound magic! I have a brahma who I thought was a hen that would instigate fights and end up having pecking wounds all over its face. I've had to separate it twice. Well come to find out its actually a rooster, which would explain its aggression! The veterycin completely heals it up in about 48 hours. It's a little pricey, I think I paid $27 for an 8 ounce bottle on amazon but I think it's worth it!


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Um that's a REALLY small cage for those size birds and that many. Was she pecked at while in the cage ?


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## camel934 (Sep 9, 2012)

Apyl said:


> Um that's a REALLY small cage for those size birds and that many. Was she pecked at while in the cage ?


Yes, she was in the cage. I know it's too small for them. They grew faster than I expected, being my first time at this. Had to go into overdrive to finish the big coop. Now it is done! The have 60 sq ft for 15 chickens now: 4 sq ft per chicken. I am now focused on finishing the outside fenced area, which will add an additional 320 sq ft for them. I posted photos of their move tonight


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

camel934 said:


> Yes, she was in the cage. I know it's too small for them. They grew faster than I expected, being my first time at this. Had to go into overdrive to finish the big coop. Now it is done! The have 60 sq ft for 15 chickens now: 4 sq ft per chicken. I am now focused on finishing the outside fenced area, which will add an additional 320 sq ft for them. I posted photos of their move tonight


With the new coop you shouldn't see anymore pecking, hopefully. The pecking was definitively due to space.


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## Krystal43551 (Jun 21, 2013)

Will roosters peck at hens, also? 

Is this pecking of hens by roosters related to space?

In other words, if birds are crowded will they peck one another regardless of male or female or is it related to gender?

My friend has two roosters and the roosters are pecking the hens tails.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Most pecking issues are related to space, regardless of gender. Once an area is open and bloody, all birds will pick at it for the taste of the blood. You can put a red dot on a white chicken with a magic marker and get birds to peck at it...not that I recommend it, but experiments have been done on it. 

With space, birds can avoid one another, and this concentrated attention, boredom and stress that comes with overcrowding should be relieved.


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