Groovychook Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 They've arrived! It's 2 weeks since I ordered them, but hey ho! I can see light at the end of the tunnel They look very small & fiddly... I've seen the tip about soaking them in warm water to soften the plastic and having someone else to hold the chicken whilst you try to fit it but I haven't managed to get any circlips(?!) pliers. I asked in my local Focus today and they had no idea what was talking about! Is it a nightmare trying to fit them without the pliers? It's too late to do it tonight but I'm building up courage to do it in the morning ... I'm so worried about hurting her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 It is possible without the pliers, but much easier with. I got mine from Halfords. Another tip is to wrap the hen up in a towel so that she doesn't flap about. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistachio Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I'm feeling the same about putting them on mine tomorrow report back how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Oh dear... I've been rumbled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistachio Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 ha ha ha - that picture really made me laugh. Sometimes it does feel like you are waging a war against a more intelligent creature! Gotta love the little savages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 That picture is wonderful - love the look of concentration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Oh dear... I've been rumbled! I love it. :D You should send that photo to barbara@omlet.co.uk It might end up in the next newsletter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Well, we've done it! We ended up buying a pair of the magic pliers... luckily, found a place in our little town that sold them... anything for an easier life! The hardest part was getting her to open her beak- once we'd done that, after a bit of fiddling, it seemed to fit in to place. Took her back outside, where she attacked it with her foot and promptly pulled it out! I think (hope ) that we've done it properly the second time around... she's not very happy and has been trying to remove it again but fingers crossed it will stay put! I've told her to think of it as a very beautiful piece of jewellery/ chicken bling... she's not impressed though- looks slightly embarrassed! Here's looking forward to a more peaceful day! I love it. :D You should send that photo to barbara@omlet.co.uk It might end up in the next newsletter. Will do Egluntine! If she knows that there's any chance of her becoming a celebrity chicken, it might just improve her mood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistachio Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 having put the bumper bits on without pliers and finding it very difficult - I'm interested to know what you do with the pliers? I'm trying to picture it and just can't. I put the bit in their beak (not so hard as i've had practice with pipette and medicine recently and then pulled it wide and let go over the nostrils. easier said than done - I'm wondering exactly what you do with the pliers. I'm going to order some spare bumpa bits and might consider buying pliers for next time. Still laughing at that photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Errrrrrr What are you all talking about? What are bumper bits...sorry virgin hen keeper and all that! kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 It's a bit hard to describe, but you put the prongs of the pliers on the inside of the bit and prise it open. Because you are opening the bumpa bit with pliers, you can do it with one hand and it takes a lot of the fiddling out of it. I'm glad we bought them- I think it would've been much harder to do otherwise. How has today been for you? Peace has reigned in our coup! Hilda has tried to peck Elsie but soon realised that it was fruitless to even try! I think she's getting used to wearing it- I was slightly concerned that she wasn't eating enough but but hopefully that's just me being a worrier! All in all though, it was a much more relaxing day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Errrrrrr What are you all talking about? What are bumper bits...sorry virgin hen keeper and all that! kit A bumper bit is a plastic bit that is placed over the sharp end of a chicken's beak, with little prongs that go in the chicken's nostrils to keep it in place. It stops them being able to peck their companions, but they can still eat and drink. Sounds a bit extreme, but a bullying chicken can not only pull all the feathers out of her companions' heads, necks and bums, she can cause severe injury and even death if the pecking is persistent. Read more about bumper bits here. Groovychick, I'm so glad you succeeded! It's very stressful the first time, isn't it - but it is well worth it. I used circlip pliers and they made it much easier, you just use them to stretch the prongs apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 having put the bumper bits on without pliers and finding it very difficult - I'm interested to know what you do with the pliers? I'm trying to picture it and just can't. I put the bit in their beak (not so hard as i've had practice with pipette and medicine recently and then pulled it wide and let go over the nostrils. easier said than done - I'm wondering exactly what you do with the pliers. I'm going to order some spare bumpa bits and might consider buying pliers for next time. Still laughing at that photo Put the pointed ends of the pliers in the gap indicated by the red arrows below on a bumpa bit softened in hot water. It makes it much easier to handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistachio Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 oh my goodness, Egluntine - your bumpa bit is totally different than mine. Mine is just a white ring. I see what Groovychook and Egluntine mean about the pliers now - ie putting them insde the bumpa to stretch it so you have a hand free for the rest of the job. That does sound easier. I haven't had my chooks all in together for some time now so I'm not yet putting them all together all the time even with the bumpa bits. I'm awaiting the Ukadex and a free day so I can put some time into observing them all and experimenting. Observing them during freeranging, i have noticed an improvement on the pecking front and the top chook doesn't seem quite so militant about her position I thought they were not eating so much at first too but I think it probably just takes a while to get used to. I held some corn in my hand and they didn't have much of a problem so I'm not too worried. Mine have tried to get theirs off by wiping their beaks and scratching at them but they are doing that less and less. They did look a little shocked by it all so I gave them their treats by hand and chatted to them and picked them up a little so they knew I was the bearer of good as well as their unfashionable white bits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 It sounds as though you have got the beak rings that my local smallholding shop sells. I sent off for my bumpa bits from The Wernlas Collection. I hope this link works, it shows a hen wearing a bumpa bit. http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=12361 The 'bumpa' part of it stops the tip of the beak from being able to do any damage... I hope you have success with your rings, if not, I'd send off for some of these form Wernlas- only 10p each. Alternatively, I've got a couple spare... I could post them to you first class if you like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 oh my goodness, Egluntine - your bumpa bit is totally different than mine. Mine is just a white ring. I see what Groovychook and Egluntine mean about the pliers now - ie putting them insde the bumpa to stretch it so you have a hand free for the rest of the job. That does sound easier. Yours are anti peck rings from the sound of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Everything has settled back down to how it was before Hilda started throwing her weight around- thank goodness!! They are all mingling together quite happily & it's such a relief! I have noticed though, that Hilda's bumpa bit is getting regularly clogged up with soil when they're out free ranging. I'm just wondering if I should be cleaning it for her or should I let her get on with it? I don't want to draw her attention to it as she seems to have forgotten that it's there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistachio Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 is an anti pek thing going to do the same job? I'm getting really disheartened here as it looks like the pecking MAY have started again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Oh bless, try not to get too down... think our posts must've just crossed in cyber space! I really do recommend the bumpa bits... because they have the part that goes beyond the point of the beak, they can't contact another bird to do any damage... at least that's what I've found and other people seem to rate them. The offer still stands- I could put a couple in the post to you this afternoon if you like- you might even get them tomorrow... So sorry you're struggling with this- hope things improve for you soon.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
