Poorly chicken

[eggregiousness]

Enter Dandelion and Moth:

 

 

Dandelion (on the right) is a Houdan - with no tail Moth (on the left) is a Cream Legbar. They arrived yesterday courtesy of Wernlas and both have already laid! Patsy and Eddy are horrified to say the least . Patsy has already managed to nip Moth's comb through the bars of the run and make it bleed. Moth has decided to stand up to her and rather than avoid Patsy, she is squaring up to her whenever Patsy approaches the run. Methinks this introduction may take some time....

 

Her is Moth again:

 

and here is Dandelion again (sans tail):

 

 

After our first full day at home I see why Dandelion has no tail. Moth is pulling her feathers out! When I was at Wernlas I was told that they are used to each other because they have been housed together. The tail must have been destroyed by Moth or another chicken(s) at Wernlas. Because they are being introduced to Patsy and Eddy, they only have an eglu run at the moment so are rather on top of each other. The floor is littered with Dandelion's feathers - poor girl! There doesn't seem to be any aggression going on. I have hung up a corn on the cob to distract Moth but she obviously hasn't seen one before and hasn't tried it yet - though I'm sure she will. Any suggestions?

Edited May 9, 2010 by Guest

[Plum]

They are cute. I love Moth's expression. I think it is good they are facing up to eachother the pecking order will be sorted sooner. I had to wait for mine to mature before they would assert themselves and things calmed so I could introduce them.

[eggregiousness]

They are all calmer today but Moth is definitely pulling Dandelion's feathers. Is there anything I can do? Will it stop when they are all free-ranging?

[ISCA]

Have you considered trying anti-pecking spray?

 

Moth does look fantastic. I hope my little CL grows up to look as good as her. Are her eggs blue or olive?

[eggregiousness]

Moth's eggs are a lovely pale blue and Dandelion's are palest ivory . I searched the forum for threads referring to anti-peck spray and didn't find any saying that it worked! The only thing I see that has had any success is a bit - loathed to do it because a) not sure I could manage to put one on single handed and b) seems a shame to do it to a bird who has just moved house

[cluckingmad]

We had this problem! Sorted it by using a poultry saddle and anti-peck spray, can't remember the name of it but it was brown and reeks (felt very mean squirting little Suzy as she's white), worked a treat althoug hit DID take a long time to disuade the feather plucker...

 

Tried the bumper bits but my lot maaged to get them off in about 30 seconds flatm even after it was confirmed that the bits were in correctly, Mollie the madam pulled hers out before we'd even done the next hen

 

Currently have a similar issue with Nutmeg, our buff sussex after she lost her tail in a fight as a baby... she currently have 3 feathers for a tail but SHE's the on who keeps worrying at them, so the saddle is back out again (got mine on ebay)

[eggregiousness]

I have just ordered some Ukadex - it seems to be the stinkiest, vilest spray on the market so I'll give it a go ! Would a saddle stop bottom/tail pecking?

[the-real-tinkerbell]

i use that and it does help but i would recomend putting a old top on when you spray it and taking a bath strait after as it really honks and sticks to your clothes lol

[eggregiousness]

Oh dear!

[cluckingmad]

ewwwwww (rapidly writes down spray to add to next order...)