Chicken - Time to pull its neck?

[Lord Flashheart]

We have four chickens, 3 of which are now completely bald around the vent area because one of them is seriously pecking the others. I've witnessed it too many times and it's actually quite upsetting to see. I guess it's 'pecking order', but I don't have time for it. We've never witnessed it before with chickens we've kept in the past. The pecked hens have now all been sprayed with the violet antiseptic dye around their vents but this bd one is now having a go at their wings too. I'm not really sure what else I can do but terminate it! Any ideas? They've a big enough area, things to keep them occupied and plenty of food; so I can't see it's down to boredom.

[Blackpuddin]

I'm no expert but won't No 2 just take over the pecking duties, having learnt them from No 1?

[Lord Flashheart]

Blackpuddin said:

I'm no expert but won't No 2 just take over the pecking duties, having learnt them from No 1?

I don't know. I've not witnessed any pecking but from this one. I've looked up general causes and we appear to have everything right for them to be happy, as we did with previous hens. The others tend to try hopping away from her, but it's quite relentless sometimes. I'm not sure whether the antipecking sprays really work or just a waste of money.

[dundarach]

drown - roast - enjoy - replace

Think that's a Tom Cruise movie?

[Lord Flashheart]

dundarach said:

drown - roast - enjoy - replace

Think that's a Tom Cruise movie?

Tempting!

[shtu]

Lord Flashheart said:

Any ideas?

https://shop.bhwt.org.uk/products/chicken-vet-anti-peck could be worth a go, lots of local farm stores have it.

It really is absolutely fowl stuff (sorry), I've used it before to put off pecking at broken pin feathers, etc.

I'm not convinced the violet antiseptic will help, If you get a bird with a wound, the blood's colour attracts the other birds to peck, peck, and peck some more.

[SilverBirch]

Doesn’t sound like establishing a pecking order to me. Normally that happens when you introduce new birds - are the other three newcomers?

Can you physically separate the pecker from the other birds? We have two coups and two runs for that reason - sometimes that’s all you can do to stop them hurting each other.