Chicken Cannibalism

[Kyle Kroeck]

So about a month ago, we ordered 40 red ranger chicks, along with 30 jersey giants and 20 lavender Orpingtons. All was well, until we realized that our red ranger chicks were growing INSANELY fast, and also not really turning red. They ended up turning white, and kept growing and growing. Now, they’re still pretty big, but they are also still chicks. Here’s where the problem is. Our provider for the chickens told us that they gave us the wrong Breed, what we got were fast growing commercial meat chickens. (The opposite of what we need). And right now they’re molting, so they are all pink and fleshy by the butt. We realized that some chicks had blood all over them. And then stumbled upon 4 chicks with their tail feathers ripped out and all the skin on there butts ripped off too. While searching this up, I did find out that this is very common with commercial chickens. And it is caused by stress. (Which I believe is us having to change their diets). I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to spot the chicken(s) causing this? Please help!

 

[Baymule]

Over crowding can lead to chickens picking at each other, They will literally kill on another.

There is a product called Pick No More that really works.

https://www.amazon.com/Rooster-Booster-Pick-More-4-Ounce/dp/B00E9RKPD2

How old are the meat chickens? It might be time to butcher them.

It is not so much as spotting the chickens doing the picking, as it is to getting the picked on chickens out. Do you have all these chicks in the same pen? You might need to split them up. Is it the Cornish Cross getting picked on? Or are they by themselves chomping on each other?

 

[Alaskan]

The meat chickens, whatever they are... need to be in their own pen, and it needs to be large enough so that they aren't tempted to eat each other.

You can get by with a smaller pen if it is a tractor and is moved to fresh grass every day.

But... Cornish cross can be slaughtered at 8 weeks of age.... are they old enough for you to start butchering them?

 

[Kyle Kroeck]

No, they’re still pretty young, about 5 weeks. THANKS FOR THE HELP!

 

[Kyle Kroeck]

It is just the same breed picking on each other. We have got the hurt chickens out, and haven’t had any more wounded yet. Thanks for the help!

 

[Baymule]

You are welcome. We are glad to help and we’re glad you joined. Please jump right in and join conversations, post pictures and have fun.

I’m currently raising Cornish Cross myself, ordered 30, lost 2. Was given 25 more at Tractor Supply, lost one, so now have 52. I am officially an idiot. LOL Also ordered 12 Australorp chicks and have something like 30-40 grown chickens. I’ll be culling out the layers hard come fall.

Which breed is doing the picking? I ordered 50 Delaware chicks once, straight run. Meanest durned chickens I’ve ever seen! Murdering little cannibals! I wound up with 11 pullets and a LOT of roosters to butcher.