Chickens peck at each other to show dominance.
Chickens peck at each other to show dominance. This behavior often results in chickens wounding each other, causing serious injuries and damaging your bird population. Take steps to stop chicken pecking as soon as it becomes evident.
Instructions
1. Avoid overcrowding your chickens. Overcrowding increases the chances of chickens pecking each other. Provide a large enough space for the chickens in their cages, and in the feeding and watering area.
2. Provide food and water in such a way that each chicken receives a sufficient amount. A shortage of feed can be reason enough for chickens to peck at each other.
3. Maintain low light conditions in chicken houses. Bright lights are irritating to chickens, and aggravate their behavior. Birds are far less active in dim light.
4. Provide high-fiber foods -- alfalfa hay and rolled or whole oats -- to the chickens. Stop feeding pellets if the practice aggravates chicken pecking. Feed a mash instead.
5. Keep your chickens on litter, instead of on wire floors. Avoid using sand as litter; it aggravates pecking. Use wood shavings or straw as litter.
6. Check chickens for lice, fleas and mites. The presence of parasites irritates chickens, and increases the risk of pecking.
7. Remove chicks that are sick, weak or discolored. Unhealthy chicks present an ideal pecking target for healthier chickens.
8. Use the "salt cure" method of Wisconsin Experiment Station. Add 1 tbsp of salt to 1 gallon of water. Feed this mixture to the chickens in the same quantity as their usual water feed. Replace with fresh water in the afternoon. Repeat the process after three days.
9. Trim the chicken's beaks if they fail to respond to other techniques. De-beaking is best accomplished with young chicks, because their beaks are softer.
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