Naked Necks !

I have just (yesterday) received 12 one month old naked neck chicks ! Well, its only been 4 years in the making.... mostly due to a severe lack of funds needed to build a critter proof house and run, thanks to the banksters. That's my moan finished with now. I am a first time chicken mama and have spent an unnatural amount of time observing their antics over the last 24 hours and making sure I can still count 12 every time I pop down there. I have even noticed my husband getting maternal. .

One of the birds, and not the smallest, runtiest either, has been pecked so that its red, sore spots encourage even more pecking. Ahhhhhh, now I have a chance to put many months of study into practical application. I applied a 'salve' of manuka honey and blue food colouring to the sore spots and hey presto no more pecking. Hurray ! I surprised myself there... It does rather make a not-so-handsome bird look even freakier, but I have always liked supporting the underdog.

I do have a few questions. Does anyone know why some of them have had their beaks clipped ? Is it an identification thing ? Also, should I be having food available to them 24/7 when they are so small, or should I already be only feeding them twice a day.

This is my daughters' favourite photo...

The beak clipping is probably due to whoever had them before didn't want them pecking at each other. If they get bored they will fight and peck. Given enough space and forage they shouldn't really be pecking at each other other than to establish order. Sounds like you are on top of the open sore so that is great! We have over 50 poultry and let them all eat all the time all day. They have a good bit of pasture to graze on and i leave out a bowl of layer pellets (from modesto mills) for them to supplement from.