4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[fluffyfeet]

Hi

I need some advice.

3 out of 4 of my girls have been broody recently, and whilst they were in the house the 4th one (bossy) must have decided it would be entertaining for her to feather peck the other one's heads until they were bald. I think she was eating them too as I didn't find any in the coop

I now have some Anti Peck Spray and some Gentian Violet spray and just wanted to make sure I was using them properly.

 

Do I use both at the same time?

Which one first?

What about the chooks eyes?

 

Any advice/tips/help gratefully received.

 

Dawn x

[Olly]

Don't spray it in their eyes! difficult if you're trying to do necks, but shield their eyes, you could always put a towel over their heads and then just lift it up to expose the bit you need to spray, that should calm them down too.

 

I don't think there's any bar to using both at once. The violet spray is intended to disguise any red bits, which will instantly attract more pecking, and I believe it helps to heal as well. The anti-peck spray is a deterrent to put the bully hens off.

 

Good luck - it looks alarming but unless there's actually been blood drawn, they will survive a bit of feather-pecking ok.

[Budgies]

Just wanted to add that feather eating can be a very difficult habit to break. If she continues to peck other areas to get her fix (ie unsprayed parts of your other hens) you'll need to fit a bumper bit to stop the feather pulling.

[fluffyfeet]

Many thanks for the advice - I was mainly concerned about her eyes - poor thing. She looks a bit like a Naked Neck - not a good look when you're a lavender pekin!!

 

I think I've sussed why it was happening - Poppy (head hen) had no-one to play? with when the other 3 went broody, my OH spotted her feather pulling when he was looking for eggs, and as there weren't any feathers on the floor, we assumed she was eating them as well.

Feathers do come back quite quickly - the other two (Rosie and Daisy) are looking much better so I'm just hoping a combination of the sprays and breaking her broodiness will get Fern back to normal quite quickly.

 

Thanks again

 

Dawn x