Solitary chicken - need advice

[alyb]

Hello all - Rose is going to get a bumper bit fitted tomorrow as she has a really bad bum pecking problem. (I should say I'm going to attempt to fit one ). I have tried anti-peck spray, peckablocks and putting her on her own for a few days but it doesn't make any difference. I'm really just looking for reassurance that she will be able to eat and drink properly. I just can't see how they can peck around normally for worms, corn etc with one of them fitted, but really don't know what else to do.

[Saronne]

I had the same concerns just before fitting them on two of my feather pluckers (!) They looked a bit miserable the first day and tried to get them off. They also needed a few practice goes at drinking water but after that, they were fine. Don't worry. They'll be okay. It's much better than having them peck bums !

 

Saronne x

[Egluntyne]

They take a day or two to get the hang of picking bits of sweetcorn off the floor, but that's all.

[moochoo]

Yes, they do struggle with small bits of food over the first couple of days but they soon work it out. I think of it as being a necessary evil. All my girls are bumper bitted at the minute. It has made a huge difference to the health of the flock.

When you're putting the bit on it may feel like you're being really rough with your hen. It's best to do it firmly and quickly rather than gently and take ages.

[Egluntyne]

Mine are all bumper bitted too. I had a feather pecker simply and couldn't work out which one it was, as I never caught anyone in the act. There were three suspects ( the ex-batts I'm afraid ) who were the only ones still wearing knickers and without bald patches elsewhere.

 

All bitted and feathers regrowing nicely within the week.

 

I'm a dab hand at fitting the bits now!

[quickcluck]

Mine are all bitted up!!!

 

It's a 2 man job. But I do mine after they've been in bed for a while as they are much more docile then, plus they tend to go straight back to sleep

[Olly]

Definitely be firm, it's actually much better for the hen to get it over with quickly than spend hours being held while you dab about - I speak from experience, as it was only desperation that made me take a firm grip on her head and get the bit on at the final attempt! Get someone else to hold the hen wrapped in a towel, to reduce flapping, and after bedtime is good as quickcluck suggests.

 

They can eat normally although they may struggle with treats for a bit. They soon learn. Don't feel bad about it - pull a hair out of your head, and then imagine how it feels for the pecked chicken having a FEATHER pulled out of its botty every time the evil bully approaches! Bumper bits are a great solution.

[alyb]

Thanks for all your replies. Feel a wee bit better about doing it now.

 

Alison x

[Egluntyne]

alyb.....get some straight Circlip pliers from Halfords....a godsend. £7.99 but worth every farthing.

 

I wrap the hen in a towel and then put the hen between my knees, freeing up both my hands. Grasp the head firmly (as Olly suggests) and apply the bit, making sure that it is securely in each nostril.

 

Have fun.

[alyb]

Well - its finally done - and OMG it was traumatic - mostly for me .

 

Gave up after the first attempt on saturday thought we had it fitted and she managed to ping it out.

 

Finally gave it one last try today and its staying in. Rose is now dortin (good scottish word for sulking) in the run. She does look sorry for herself - but hopefully she'll be back to her normal self tomorrow.

 

Thanks again for all your helpfull advise - the pliers really did make it easier.

[Milly]

We had to put a bumper bit on our Gold Legbar yesterday as she has been pecking some of the others quite badly. It was definitely a 2-person job. The first time we got it on, or so we thought, she kept kicking it until it came off. So we waited until she had gone to bed (as advised on here) and it seemed to work. She has had no trouble eating.

 

And now looks like a chicken version of Hannibal Lecter!

 

Milly

[Abbey Road Girl]

I only wished I'd grasped the nettle (and the proper pliers) earlier. It is a two person job, that is unless you are Egluntine!

 

Frankly, I am completely unable to understand why the hens can eat and drink normally (as they indeed do) but can't pluck feathers.

[Lucia]

Can someone post a picie of their hen in one? I am going to have to put one on Mil-dread the terrible (who is a dreadful feather plucker and general ninja chicken...she killed a mole the other day found him in the run on his back with his legs in the air and a startled expression on his face!!) although a lovely girl otherwise (que huge guilt trip from me) and am feeling a bit nervous as can't visualise how it should look once in place.

[Egluntyne]

 

Here is Gallina's hen from the 'How to' article about bumperbits **here** in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

[Lucia]

Thanks - thats great!!

[Gallina]

You can easily put a bumper bit on yourself with a quiet hen. (The feistier ones are a bit harder: leave them until last when you have had some practice.)

 

The secret is to be grimly determined: put the bit in the mouth first, and then make sure the prongs go right in the proper nostrils, not in the shallow groove, otherwise the bumper bit will come out again.

 

The hen soon gets used to it, and suddenly you will like her again. (It's very hard to like a hen who is eating her best friend alive.)

 

When the other hens see their friend wearing one for the first time, they think she is eating some delicious morsel and peck at it, but they only do this once. Where food is concerned, hens are surprisingly intelligent.

[Olly]

It's very hard to like a hen who is eating her best friend alive.

 

Very well put, Gallina!

[chickencam]

Mine all managed fine except for my White Star who had been beak clipped before we got her. She was one of the main feather pluckers but we couldn't put a bit on her for about a year until her beak grew back enough. She could eat pellets but struggled with any treats.

 

If they have a normal beak they will adapt very quickly.

[TAJ]

Me and OH followed the advice on here - job done in 5 mins last night and 5 mins later she had forgotten about it as she chased the new girls around the garden anyway I wouldn't say there is peace, but at least I know she cannot inflcit as much damage. She was less aggressive tonight, though still chasing them, but at least now they can get the pecking order sorted on more equal terms.

 

Tracy

[Lucia]

Well MilDread drew blood on nancy again so after trying anti peck spray, purple spray and a million and one ways of keeping her amused I gave in and bumper bitted her.

 

She was quite convinced we were trying to kill her and scolded us catagorically. My first attempt was a bit wussy and she spat it back at me before I could attatch it properly, second attempt (having been pecked myself was successful) as I just stuck it on her with no messing! Hubby as a bit concerned she wouldn't be able to breathe though due to the bitbeing in her nostrils!

 

She is one very cheesed off chicken - I am not being spoken too and she is quite sure she is being mistreated and that she is going to starve to death.

 

I feel terrible as everytime I go out she sulks at the back of the run though I have seen her out and about when she thinks I'm not looking - she still likes hubby despite it being him who held her.

 

She does seems to be struggling a little with treats and what have you but she is missing the very tip of her beak (as was one of the other hens when they arrived). So keepign an eye on her. She seemed ok on the grass though.

 

So please tell me when I will stop feeling so guilty? I know I have to think of the other girls and that they are at risk if I hadn't bitted Mils (who while always a bit prone to plucking seemed to go over the top after the death of Jennifer who prolapsed while we were at work and got pecked to death.... Hence her being MilDread rather than Mildred ) But I can't help feeling horrible everytime I look at her.

 

Poor MilDread - wish I could get her to understand that she can't be eating her friends! (They had a mole recently too - found him in the run on his back little legs in the air and a stratled expression on his face!).

[quickcluck]

Fret not! She will have forgotten about it by the end of the day! They can manage fine with treat, mine still manage to run off a full pelt with a sprig of broccoli!

 

I put my bits on after they've been in bed for a while, then by morning they've forgotten it's there!

[Egluntyne]

Think about the benefits to the victim and not the mild inconvenience to the culprit.

 

She will have forgotten it is there very soon.

[alyb]

 

Here is Rose with her bumper bit fitted - not a great pic

 

And as everyone assured me - shes eating and drinking as normal.

 

She must have had slightly more of a problem with feather eating than first thought, as Martha the Welsummer has had a wee bald bit since I got her (on her back near her tail) - she had been in a breeding pen - and even since Sunday the new feathers are covering over the bald bit. Think Rose had been secretly munching on her during the night.

 

And she's even forgiven me - she had a wee nap on my knee this evening