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

[n4ce]

Hi all, needing some newbie help!!!

 

I've had my chickens 5 days and one has already started laying (all be it the smallest egg I have ever seen).

 

However, one of the girls is pecking at our hands constantly. Is there anthing we can do to 'train' her that this behaviour is wrong? I've heard about pressing your hand on top of her to show dominance or to squirt them with water???

 

Also, they appear to be pecking at each others bottoms, although this isn't causing distress but is messing the feathers?? Is this harmful to the chickens would violet spray be necessary to deter this??

 

Any suggestions or comments would be extremely appreciated!!!

[Woodcat]

hey

 

probably a water pistol will be most effective at stopping them pecking you and also don't feed them from your hands for awhile. You probably want to discourage the feather picking because it's a bad habit and it can turn nasty. Violet spray might stop it but if they aren't doing it because they are going for a particular colour I.e red for blood i'm not sure it would be that effective.

 

I havn't had this probablem personally and i'm sure somone a bit more knowledgable about it will appear soon but anyway congrats on the first egg

[Redwing]

Hiya

 

Congratulations on your new chickens

 

Chickens peck at shiney things so if you wear rings or nail varnish they will peck at them but tend to stop when they realise they arent food

 

You can squirt them with water or press your hand down on them to assert some authority if it does get really bad, I used to just shoo mine off though, they get the message pretty quickly

 

Purple spray will help with the pecking problem if they get bald patches as it covers any redness, anti peck spray (made by Johnssons and available from pets at home) may help, if it gets really bad try Ukadex spray (which stinks) if it still persists fit bumper bits to the offenders (they are plastic bits that prevent the hen pecking at feathers but still let it eat and drink ok)

[n4ce]

Thank you for the feedback here is my plan of attact for the feather pecking, how does it sound?

 

I will go ad by some Johnsons anti peck spray today as it is locally available.

 

When looking for Ukadex it appeared to be quite expensive so 'googled' further and found Net-Tex Anti-Feather Pecking Spray which I ordered as it was cheaper. Has anyone else used this and have any comments?

 

Should all else fail i'll by Ukadex spray.

 

Hopefully I won't need to buy a bumper bit

 

Thank you for your advice.