Single hen

[Margalot]

We have just fitted bumper bits on to 3 out of our 4 hens (we did fit all 4 but ones got it off already!)

 

Now I am glad they cannot peck and all have had a treat of corn but what about other things?? Also Ginger seems to be most put out and has not eaten

 

they love to peck a cucumber / broccoli etc will they not be able to peck these any more?

 

I even bought a cabbage especially for them today!

 

We are due to go away for a night and I dont want them to go hungry....Please can somebody help with this

 

Thanks

 

Michelle

[Egluntyne]

They will get used to them in a few days. As long as they can still eat their pellets, don't waver.

[Margalot]

Well,

 

they still had the bumper bits on this morning. I went out to clean out etc and to watch them all feed. The 2 naughty feather peckers with bits on were able to feed ok but poor Ginger who has never shown any bad pecking behaviour could not eat a tiny worm she had found. I tried her with some corn and she was attemting to peck but was not picking it up . the bit looked too big for her little beak. So I'm afraid I have taken it off Ginger she was never the bad girl in question but we had decided to put the bits on all of them so all were equal. I hope this was the right thing to do, I felt so awful seeing her struggle to eat it was making me really stressed

 

Midnight who got her bit off immediately is also a solitary bird who stays on her own most of the time also she hasn't really feather pecked. I will see how things go.

 

I worry so much over them its unbelievable! I never realised that it could get you so distressed to see them pecked etc it really has been an eye opener! I am away for the weekend so I wanted to make sure that we didn't come back to an attacked hen.

[quickcluck]

I can't seem to get mine under the skin flappy bit of the nostril.... what should I do?

[Barkisland]

Margalot, I would say you only need fit bumper bits on the ones who are pecking others, so don't worry about Ginger.

[Margalot]

It was a bit worrying because when we put Tinker down after having the bit on all the others were trying to pull it off her They thought we had given her something to eat

[quickcluck]

Oh dear We put Margot's bit on of a night after they'd been in bed for an hour...

[Margalot]

Quickcluck,

How are yours getting on with the bumper bits?

 

We have 2 hens fitted and have been away for the weekend, so cannot see if pecking order has changed, but I am sure that Gingers butt and Tinkers butt has less feathers so that would mean pecking has started with someone else!

 

They are such monkeys aren't they?

 

I hated fitting the bits!!! it was so distressing, my hubby did it whilst i had them wrapped in a towel and held their heads still and opened their beaks (Not easy).

 

The head shaking and scratching of beaks was horrid too

 

Still Tinker and Bon Bon look cool now, my mother in law thought they had eaten the little tags that you used to get on a loaf of bread!!

[quickcluck]

Welllllllllllll only sweetie has one on, we tried to get one on harriet but couldn't get the little prongs under the little flap of skin by her nostril she was really upset and panting so we abandoned!

 

However, they do not look any worse off, there is the odd feather in the run, but haven't found out who is responsible yet...

 

Sweetie doesn't even know that it's there now, I just cut up her broccoli smaller so she can peck it

 

But agree, it was a horrid experience putting it on, we were both really distressed.....

 

Hope things continue to improve for you, keep us posted