Next, provide birds something to keep their minds busy. Offer an alternative place for birds to peck. By mixing the diatomaceous earth into the dust bath, it has less probability to become airborne while still helping prevent external parasites.”ģ. “Diatomaceous earth can be harmful if inhaled in large amounts. “If you add diatomaceous earth, be sure to mix it in well,” explains Biggs.
If external parasites are an issue, supplement your birds’ dust bath with a cup or two of food-grade diatomaceous earth. Watch your birds roll around in the bath and clean themselves.”ĭust baths can also prevent external parasites such as mites and lice. Combine an equal blend of sand, wood ash, and natural soil 3. Find a container at least 12” deep, 15” wide and 24” long 2. On our farm, we make dust baths for our hens by following these three steps: 1. “Dust bathing is an instinct that helps keep birds clean. “This process is called a dust bath,” Biggs says. They often dig a shallow hole, loosen up all the dirt and then cover themselves in it. Chickens take a different type of bath then you might expect. The next step to prevent feather picking is to keep birds clean. Once the pecking order is determined, the birds usually live together peacefully.” “There are typically one or two boss hens who rule the roost. “Remember, there will always be some dominance in the flock as part of the pecking order,” Biggs says. If a new hen is added to the flock, there may be a period of uneasiness. Adequate feeder and waterer space is also critical,” adds Biggs. “To maintain this newfound peace, make sure your birds have a minimum of 4 square feet indoors and 10 square feet outdoors per bird. “Start with a list of questions about the environment: Are the hens too crowded? Do they ever run out of chicken feed or water? Are they too hot or cold? Is there a predator in the area? Is there something outside of the coop that is causing them to be stressed?” he asks.Īfter the stressor has been identified, the next step is easy: remove the problem and the behavior may go away or diminish. If the hen pecking behavior becomes aggressive, Biggs’ first tip is to determine if something is causing birds to act out.
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If pecking becomes aggressive, it can be problematic to other birds in the flock.” How to Stop Chickens From Pecking Each Otherġ. When it is gentle, this behavior is fun to watch. “Understanding the difference between curious and aggressive hen pecking is key to knowing when there is a problem,” Biggs continues. Though hen pecking is a natural occurrence, the nature of this behavior can change when birds spend more time inside. “Pecking is a natural chicken behavior that allows them to check out their surroundings, including their flock mates.”
They use their beaks to explore instead,” says Biggs. “Chickens are naturally inquisitive, but they don’t have arms and hands to inspect things. During fall and winter when chickens are spending more time in the coop, boredom can bring out changes in behavior, such as pecking.
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