Cats and Chickens Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Fitted a bumper bit to Carmel this afternoon. Popped her back out in the run and she sort of hooked it off immediately with her foot. Had a spare, so back into the kitchen and fitted another. Popped her out in the run again other two pecking at the bumper bit. Left them fifteen minutes confident that this one was properly in. But no fifteen minutes later she is strutting around minus bumper bit but has what looks like drops of blood on her nostrils. Has anyone else had this problem? I still have one spare and presumably two other somewhere in the run. Other two hens have completely bare bottoms as a result of feather pecking which I think is happening in the coop over night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I think it is possible that you might not have had them positioned correctly. If you use a pair of Circlip pliers it makes the job a whole lot easier. **Advice and photos** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cats and Chickens Posted February 27, 2010 Author Share Posted February 27, 2010 Thanks Egluntyne. I used circlip pliers- quite expensive if we can't get the bit to stay on! I note that Gallina's advice refers to a thing that looks like a hole and a proper hole. Perhaps we missed the proper hole. OH was more stressed than Carmel so not sure if I can persuade him to have another try especially as she poo'd in his shoe during the process LOL. Also since I went the wrong side of 45 my eyesight is not up to really seeing the hole at all so I was on holding and OH was doing the fitting. He's watching rugby now so I will have to time this request carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I have one that did that. I know it was fitted properly, but she just kept trying relentlessly with her foot till she'd hooked it off - even though it must have hurt her to do it. In the end I gave up. She had been bullying my newbies, so I put some extra branches in the run so they could get out of her way. Fortunately, within a few days she stopped being quite so savage and now they are all fine. You could try anti-peck spray on the bare bottoms. Is it just possible that they may be moulting? Mine had bare bottoms from this just before Christmas but all have their knickers back now. Hope you manage to solve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I would also add that as a past master of fitting bumper bits one of mine is a dab hand at removing them in an instant too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 We did 4 last weekend - took no more than 10 mins for all of them. Wrap chicken up to neck in a towel - that way the person holding her is not worried about claws or flapping wings and can hold head still, leaving second person with pliers able to fit it - just be quick and bold. As others have said, you do not want the indent on the side of the beak ('false nose') - it needs to go a bit higher up - inside the fleshy nose flap. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cats and Chickens Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 We think that we have a chicken who is good at removal. Her nose flap looks sore so we are not going to try again for now. Have been using anti-pecking spray to little affect. We never see the plucking happening and the bottoms have been bare for weeks now so don't think it is moulting. OH has just put lots of branches stuck into the ground in the run to create an 'interesting' alien landscape. Chickens pretty non-plussed have gone to bed. For those who use anti-pecking spray how frequentlt do you use it we have been doing it once a week is this too infrequent? We are using the nett-tex anti-pecking spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 We think that we have a chicken who is good at removal. Her nose flap looks sore so we are not going to try again for now. Have been using anti-pecking spray to little affect. We never see the plucking happening and the bottoms have been bare for weeks now so don't think it is moulting. OH has just put lots of branches stuck into the ground in the run to create an 'interesting' alien landscape. Chickens pretty non-plussed have gone to bed. For those who use anti-pecking spray how frequentlt do you use it we have been doing it once a week is this too infrequent? We are using the nett-tex anti-pecking spray. I find the net-tex more effective than other sprays - apply every 3 days - mine were pecking on the back, so I did this area - with the new girls they have now moved to the back of the head, so have now done that area as well, seems to work within a week (plus mine have bumper bits as well). You have to make sure you get the bumper bit inside the nose, do not squash or damage the actual flesh outside - make sure the hook bit gose insdie the nose, not pushin gon it (very difficult to explain when not actually doing it. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squawk Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 'Cats and Chickens' did you have any luck fitting the bumper bit? We tried to fit bumper bit to one of our chickens this afternoon. We followed all the advice on the forum and it was going well until we put her back on the ground and she hooked the bit off in seconds! We tried again making sure it was correctly fitted in her nostrils but she hooked it off again as soon as we put her back down. Is the bit too big? Do they come in different sizes? My other two girls have bare bums where they have had their feathers pulled out. I've tried anti peck spray but it didnt seem to have any effect. Does anyone have advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 'Cats and Chickens' did you have any luck fitting the bumper bit? We tried to fit bumper bit to one of our chickens this afternoon. We followed all the advice on the forum and it was going well until we put her back on the ground and she hooked the bit off in seconds! We tried again making sure it was correctly fitted in her nostrils but she hooked it off again as soon as we put her back down. Is the bit too big? Do they come in different sizes? My other two girls have bare bums where they have had their feathers pulled out. I've tried anti peck spray but it didnt seem to have any effect. Does anyone have advice? They do come in different sizes, but all mine have the standard size - one I fitted for the first time a week ago is still rubbing it against the ground trying to remove it and she gets her claws right into it trying to scratch it off - but it is still firmly in place. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickychuck26 Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Just fitted a bumper bit to Mildrid she was not a happy girl poor Henrietta has hardly any knicker feathers left l did try the stern mummy talk but she did not listen. l bought my bumper bits from Cotsold chickens and they were one size. Bought a few bits and bobs and just had to bring two more girlees home as they were soooo cute Just wondering if its the time of year for our feather pluckers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cats and Chickens Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 Squawk, your experience was exactly like ours. We put two bits on and she hooked them both off with her foot. We were pretty sure we had them properly fitted. I know that they come in different sizes but anything smaller would not have fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
