Chickens have different personalities, these animals can be shy and reserved or they can be fearless and loud. Sometimes, chickens become aggressive and start pecking at each other. If this happens, you’d need an anti-pecking spray for chickens, but which is best, and why do you need it? This article looks into it

The top and most recommended anti-pecking chicken sprays to use, that combat feather pecking, are the Nettex anti feather pecking spray as well as Blu-Kote. Both of these products have antibacterial properties, Blu-Kote also has antifungal properties too.

Anti pecking spray for chickens:

If your chickens are having behavioral problems, like them pecking at each other, this can be bad for the flock overall.

This pecking can be gentle or severe. Pecking is part of the natural process if it is gentle but if it becomes severe, then you may need some anti pecking spray, the most recommended sprays to use include: 

Nettex anti feather pecking spray:

This is a widely used and widely loved anti-pecking spray that you can use on your chickens. It will have a strong taste if it gets in your mouth, it also has a horrible odor, but this is exactly what will keep pecking birds away from weaker birds.

This spray should be used at least once a week because it can wear off. Another benefit of using this product is that it is anti-bacterial, if your chicken has been pecked then this can help keep the wound clean and speed up wound healing 

Blu-Kote:

This is another well-loved and widely-used spray that you can use on your wounded chickens. Not only is it helpful as an anti-pecking spray, but it also is antifungal and antiseptic.

These properties are helpful to your newly wounded chickens as the antifungal and antiseptic properties help keep the wounds clean and free from infection the purple color helps to keep other chickens away.

Chickens are attracted to the color red, Blu-Kote is purple, thus, it will keep pecking chickens at bay.

Purina flock block:

If birds are bored and have nothing else to peck, then they will peck at each other. Giving them something that they can peck on will be helpful in preventing pecking.

You can place objects in the coop that are more exciting to peck at. Using these will help keep birds from pecking at each other. One helpful item that you can use is the Purina flock block.

This flock block is recommended for chickens not only because it helps prevents pecking (birds find this more exciting to peck than each other), but because it contains minerals, vitamins, whole grains amino acids, and oyster shell. These are all very helpful to your bird.

Bumper bit

Another tool that you may need, and that will be very helpful to use on your pecking birds, is a bumper bit. These bits go over the bird’s beak to ensure they cannot peck other birds.

This is something that will be immediately effective and won’t restrict the bird from eating, drinking, or acting normally.

After spraying the bird with the anti-pecking spray, it is also advised to use a wound spray on your birds. This will help their wounds heal faster. 

Why are my chickens pecking each other to death? 

Intensive indoor flock:

One reason why your chickens may peck each other to death, can be because they are a part of an intensive indoor flock.

If this is the case, the birds won’t have the opportunity to express themselves as they would naturally. This can lead to injurious pecking, cannibalism, and death

ill health: 

ill-health is another reason why your birds may be pecking each other to death. If the bird has a mineral deficiency, a nutritional imbalance, or does not have enough essential animal proteins, then the animal may get this from the flesh of other chickens.

Food and water:

Something as simple as not having enough food and water can cause birds to peck at each other and kill each other. When birds are in stressful situations, like not having enough food and water, they will turn on each other in order to stay alive.

To combat this, you’d need to make sure that the birds always have enough food and water in the coop and that there are no restrictions on feeders and drinkers 

Environment:

Another factor that can cause birds to become stressed and start pecking at each other is a change in environment, this change can happen within their pen or in the house. Changes in the environment can be something as small as changing in lighting 

Regardless of what the reason behind the feather pecking is, it is important to immediately stop the feather pecking by isolating the birds and treating any injuries that the birds have suffered.

You should also isolate the main pecking bird from the flock to prevent further feather pecking 

Can you make an anti-peck ointment for pecking or spray chickens? 

If you’d prefer not to buy commercial anti pecking spray for your chickens, you can make your own anti feather pecking ointment or spray at home,  this is how to do it: 

1. Start off by collecting the ingredients, that is, honey, blue food coloring, and lemon essential oil.
2. Mix all of these ingredients by adding a few drops of lemon essential oil and blue food coloring into the bowl along with the honey.
3. Once the solution is thoroughly mixed, you can apply this mixture on the pecked chicken, make sure that you use the solution on the birds wounded  areas especially 

Reasons for ingredients:

The blue food coloring will ensure that pecking chickens are not attracted to the blood on the pecked chickens open wound. This will prevent the aggressive chickens from pecking the weaker bird even more

Honey is used as an antiseptic and an antibacterial product in and on humans, is it does the same for chickens

Lemon essential oil is another natural antiseptic that both humans and chickens can use 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the most recommended sprays for chicken pecking are the Nettex anti feather pecking spray as well as Blu-Kote. You may also need to use a wound spray on the pecked bird after the pecking.

Pecking blocks and bumper bits will also help keep pecking from happening 

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Chicken is puffed up not moving and lethargic, reasons why this happens, Reasons why your chicken’s beak is bleeding, How to make eggshells stronger, methods that make a big difference,  What do chickens do when they are scared? An ultimate guide,