Who doesn’t love chickens? Apparently, sometimes, it’s other chickens. Whether or not you’re new to keeping backyard chickens, you probably wondered at some point why chickens peck at each other. Because it happens. Sometimes in a perfunctory, almost casual way, but sometimes with dark purpose. So what’s going on?
Explorer Chickens
Chickens interact with the world by pecking. They see something interesting, they peck. Is it food? Is it alive? Who’s this newcomer? They peck to find out. Pecking out of curiosity is instinctive to them and perfectly normal.
Being Top Chicken
Ever heard of the phrase “pecking order”? Its origin is from a Norwegian zoologist who first used the term in his dissertation in the 1920s that detailed his observations of domestic chicken relationships for the past several years. What he observed then holds true today: chickens peck chickens of a lower status than them in the flock.
The pecking order governs many actions chickens can take within the flock, including eating, drinking, roosting, mating, etc. It’s all about dominance. Chickens challenge each other and the one that backs down loses rank. Challenges range from noisy wing flapping, puffed feathers, circling, etc. to actual fights that risk injury or worse. Higher-ranked chickens occasionally give a quick peck to lower-ranked chickens to remind them of the pecking order.
Once established, pecking order can be somewhat stable. Lower-ranked chickens might challenge occasionally, and chickens taken from the flock for a few days might lose their rank.
Note: Check the health of all your chickens daily. If a chicken is ill or injured, it can quickly become a victim of “social climbers,” which could be serious or even deadly for the ailing chicken. If you see blood, immediately remove the chicken that is bleeding to a safe area until she fully recovers.
Seeing Red
Chickens see in color (They actually see more color than people). And red is a color that attracts chickens. It’s a see red, peck red reaction. This is why it’s important to remove a bleeding bird from the flock. The red blood encourages the chickens to peck, and this makes any wound bleed even more.
Stressed Out
Stress frequently causes chickens to peck others or even themselves. Overcrowding is a common reason for stress. Chickens need a roomy coop and run so they each get their “personal space.”
Competition for resources can also be an issue. Are there enough feeding and watering stations so that chickens can freely access them anytime they wish without fear of being blocked or bullied? What about nest boxes and roosts?
How is the temperature? Extremes in either direction cause stress. Infestations of parasites, illness, predators nearby, these are all possible causes of stress.
What about lighting? Are chickens getting 6 to 8 hours of darkness a day? Are lights too bright when they’re on? Daylight is best, but fluorescent lighting is the worst. Chickens see them flicker constantly although we think they are steady because chickens have a higher critical flicker fusion frequency than humans.
Chickens like routine, so any changes might set off a stress event.
If you’re seeing a lot of challenges for domination, evaluate your flock’s environment and health for these or any other possible causes of stress, so you can take action to minimize it.
Looking For Protein
If a chicken’s diet isn’t meeting nutritional needs, especially with protein, eating feathers might be the result. This could be a chicken’s own feathers or, more often, other chickens’ feathers. In some circumstances, a chicken might peck another so much that blood is drawn, other chickens join in, and suddenly the pecked chicken might lose its life.
To minimize pecking for this reason, ensure that your adult chickens always get a high-quality feed with 16% protein. Different life stages have different nutritional needs, so keep this in mind. Too much protein, too little protein, too much calcium, too little calcium can all cause health issues — nutrition is a delicate balance.
Foraging alone can’t sustain chickens. Whatever chickens forage should be in addition to daily, high-quality feed. Don’t overdo any treats, which don’t have balanced nutrition, because this might make chickens skip their high-quality feed. Consider using supplements for laying hens, senior hens, or those going through a molt or facing other feather challenges. Booster Berries is one line of supplements with products to meet each of these needs.
Bullying
Sadly, some chickens become bullies. That means other chickens are being pecked, and pecked, and pecked. Triggers to bullying are similar to any pecking, it just goes to an extreme. Removing a bully from the flock for a few days might solve this, as the bully will lose its status in the hierarchy.
Parasites Or Illness
Itching or discomfort from parasites or disease can cause self-pecking or sometimes pecking of others. Imagine mites or lice all over your skin. You’d peck if you could! As a preventive effort, always provide your chickens access to a dust bath whenever they wish. This grooming practice helps keeps them clean.
Nothing Better To Do
Boredom isn’t just a human complaint. Chickens get bored, too! During long periods with nothing interesting happening, especially during long winter months when the outdoors might not be as accessible, chickens get bored, and pecking is a distraction. Not fun for the chicken or chickens being pecked, but it happens.
You can help prevent boredom by providing toys, treats, music, or other enrichment. The British Hen Welfare Trust has a fun article about boredom busters with ideas to try. Use your imagination and common sense (for safety) and create your own toys or chicken entertainment.
