Single hen

[dorisdo]

Can anyone help

we have 2 chickens who live in our nursery garden, a gingernut ranger (Doris) and a Mrs Pepperpot (Gertie). unfortunatley for the last few weks Gertie has ben pecking Doris until she looked almost ready for the oven. we have tried all the suggestions including anti peck spray, seperating them (to allow Doris time to recover) and last week we put a bumper bit on Gertie. unfortunatley over the weekend she has mangaed to already strip the feathers from Doris' back and legs. has anyone got any other suggestions or is it a case of rehoming Gertie and getting Doris a new friend.

[Hen Watch]

Oh dear, sounds very bad. Not sure what to suggest as you've tried most things. Hopefully someone will come along with some advice for you.

[dorisdo]

i hope so to as Gertie is a lovely chicken really but even the nursery children are telling her of now and i don't like to see Doris suffering.

[LJ's Chooks]

Feather pecking is a nightmare that we have lived with/managed for the last year intermittently. We have tried everything, and at times their run looks more like a multigym that part of the garden to try and distract them.

 

I wish i could say it can be fixed, but in our case it never has been. If they were new girls that we had not bonded with, then i would be inclined to swap them with the breeder if poss, but we have bonded and they are all special, so we try and manage it to the best of our ability. You just need to learn to try and predict bad behaviour and prevent it.... though we have not succeeded in march!!!

 

It is difficult, but with bumper bits they cannot do too much damage as they cannot wound with their beak as it acts like a bumper car, but we are finding out that their beaks eventually wear around it, so we need to find a new solution as feathers have been disappearing again.

 

I dont think this post will necessarily help answer your situation, but we have managed the problem, as i guess many people do, but you have a choice with a new chook.

 

I wish you well,

[dorisdo]

thank you

i am not willing to give in just yet as like you say i have bonded with both of my hens as we have had them for a year now. i have just ordered some ukadex spay and a different sort of anti pecking ring so here's hoping & will be friends again

[westleigh]

just have to say i wish you all the best,i'v had this problem also but as i have afew more than you i was able to rehome them and still have 8 left goodluck

[The 3 D's]

That is the same with my two. I have tried everything but nothing seems to work. I dont really know what to do now because i cant get rid of them, i have had them for 2 years (TODAY). I think I might just have to live with it. She isnt pecking her too much now, but when she does I put her away. I know that doesnt answer your question but im just letting you know that your not the only one who has the same problem.

 

Matt

[dorisdo]

thank you

i will let you know how i get on with the ukadex and new anti peck rings when they arrive.

[quickcluck]

My bits arrived from the wernlas! I sent my stamps on monday and they came yesterday!!! Sweetie now has one on..... but it wasn't nice doing it, and I'm not convinced it's on properly

[westleigh]

oh that was quick,can you let us know how they are getting on

[quickcluck]

Well it's still on and have been checking throughout the day to make sure she is eating and she seems ok, a bit subdued maybe, but otherwise fine!

[westleigh]

that all sounds good to me,hope it sorts out the problem goodluck

[LJ's Chooks]

Im glad to here you managed to get the bb on.... well done! I couldnt part with mine too... a yr on an ukadex and bumper bits are part of our chicken life... I dont think the smell of last sundays Ukadex spray has left my nostrils yet.... oh joy need to spray them again tomorrow...

 

But I still love them... doesnt it make you mad though when feathers go missing!!!!

[quickcluck]

poor harriet only has feathers left on her wings and head I may need to knit her a jumper!

[dorisdo]

we had a jumper knitted for Doris but she really didn't like it. sprayed her with Ukadex on Friday and we can still smell her coming. seems to be working at the moment, gertie tries to peck her and then spent 5 minutes wiping her beak - serves her right. just gearing myself up to spray Doris again.

[quickcluck]

Keep up the good work