Why are my chickens pecking at blood on another bird’s feathers? | arlo.® Atlas

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your chickens are pecking at blood on another bird’s feathers, it’s usually because they’ve noticed a red or bloody area and keep investigating it. Blood can attract more pecking very quickly, so it’s worth checking the bird and the flock straight away.

There may be several reasons this is happening, including a small wound, feather damage, skin irritation, bullying, or pecking behaviour that has been triggered by stress or boredom.

Things To Check

1. Find out which bird is being pecked and separate her from the rest of the flock if needed so you can look more closely.

2. Check for fresh blood, broken skin, scabs, missing feathers, swelling or any damp patch in the feathers.

3. Look at where the blood is coming from, such as the comb, vent, flank, back, tail base or a pecked wound.

4. Watch the flock for bullying, chasing, feather pulling or one bird being repeatedly targeted.

5. Check whether the birds are crowded, bored, short of space, or have recently had a change in routine, housing or feed.

6. Look for signs of mites or other irritation, such as restless birds, feather damage or repeated scratching and pecking at the same area.

7. Make sure the coop, run and feeding areas are clean, dry and big enough for the number of birds you keep.

Common Causes

The most common reason is simply that another bird has a small injury or bare patch and the blood is attracting attention. Chickens are naturally curious, and once pecking starts it can spread quickly.

Feather pecking can also happen if the flock is stressed, under-stimulated, cramped, or competing for space, feed or water. Sometimes a bird is weaker, lower in the pecking order, or recently introduced, which can make her more likely to be targeted.

Less often, the problem may be linked to skin irritation, parasites, or a wound that needs proper cleaning and monitoring.

What To Do

Check the bird closely and separate her if other hens keep pecking at the same area. A quick look can help you work out whether you’re dealing with a minor injury, feather loss or something that needs more attention.

Keep the bird somewhere quiet if necessary, and make sure she has food, water and shelter. Reduce anything that may be encouraging pecking, such as overcrowding, boredom, sudden changes or limited access to feed and water.

If you can, improve enrichment in the run and keep the flock routine as steady as possible. Watch the group over the next day or two so you can tell whether the pecking settles or keeps spreading.

Products That May Help

Keeping your coop and run clean can be useful as part of a calm flock routine, especially when you’re dealing with feather pecking or a bird that has a sore patch.

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