Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[hpops]

Hi

 

I have a flock of 10 chickens all introduced at various times - I always do a slow introduction over 2 weeks or so and have managed to get a flock consisting of a range of sizes from pekins to white sussex to live happily together - however - following my latest addition 2 brahmas (fairly small ones by brahmas standards it has to be said) I am having some problems.

 

The two Brahmas were in with a cockerel when I bought them and had quite a lot of damage to their saddle - which I thought - no worries it will grow back - well that was over 6 months ago.

 

They are true gentle giants who unfortunately seem to be being bullied by my other chooks!!! I know - the largest chickens in there by some way and they are being bullied by someone. Trouble is I don't know who.

 

I bought two saddle protectors designed to protect the chickens from cockerel damage when they mount them - I had these on for about 3 months and kepy peeking under the saddles monitoring the feathers growing back - trouble was they didn't seem to be growing under the saddle - I have no idea why. They grew plenty of new fluffy "knicker" feathers, but no proper feathers.

 

My thought behind this was that my other chooks were much more likely to pick on them if they had feather damage and this would give them a chance to grow back - not the case!!

 

So I took them off and it appears judging by the feathers on the floor when I came home today that there is a problem again. The problem is I never seem it happening so it's very difficult - I can't take the offending chicken aside and isolate her for a week or two as I don't know who it is - the only action I can take is to try and protect the brahmas - and I can't think of any way of doing this other than a saddle???

 

Has anyone any ideas? I hate to see feathers on the floor of the run, or to think of them being unhappy/picked on?

 

Many thanks - and sorry for the looonnnng post!!!

[Egluntyne]

You could try spraying them with anti peck spray.