Omlet cube and run

[JanTheDiver]

Not sure what to do next!

 

We have had our girls almost a year and love them to bits, but I can't seem to stop the pecking! Out of my five girls four have bald patches either on their backs, bottoms or necks. It started with one (Hester) being the main pecker, but apart from Ginger (bottom of the pecking order) they all seem to do it to each other

 

They seem happy girls, they get lots of fresh veggies, have most of the garden to run around in when we are here which is a lot of the time as I work at home mainly, we are getting lots of lovely eggs so they can't be that unhappy. When they have to be locked in the fox proof run they have the extended cube run, so have plenty of room for five.

 

We tried Johnson's anti-peck stuff, that didn't work, so we have started spraying them with Netex which has seem to have helped a bit but they are still pecking each other. I am loathe to go down the bumper bit route as lots of people say the hen just gets it off so it's a waste of time. I spray them with water when I see them doing it and that stops them, but you can't catch them at it all the time.

 

Has anyone else got any more suggestions what we could try

 

I just want my girls to have feathers and not to look so oven ready I feel a rotten chicken Mummy when I look at their bare patches.

 

Thanks Jan

[jess1merlin]

I have put bumper bits on 2 of mine and to be honest they don't seem to take much notice. They are a bit of a fiddle to put on but with 2 and a pair of cerclip pliers its not too difficult and they do work. It could save you a lot of stress in the long run.

[Olly]

I'm in exactly the same position - I give my hens treats hung up to keep them busy, they have branches in the run, dust bath, scratch feed etc etc and yet three of them have horrid red bare patches (the smug one with full feathers is easily identified as the bully!) I have decided just to accept it - they all seem to get on together quite happily, and the pecked hens don't seem to be suffering. Obviously I keep an eye out in case blood is drawn, but it just seems to be one of those things.

 

I have fitted a bumper bit before quite successfully (eventually! - it took a while to fit) but I just can't face going through that whole palaver again. I've decided it bothers me more than it bothers them.

[Burtie14]

I really know what you're going through Jan. When we first got our chickens, Betty quickly established herself as chief chicken, and would pull feathers from the other 3 all the time. We tried everything, from additional perches, spray, ukadex, toys... Now, we never catch her at it, but both Ginger and Dusty develop the occasional bald spot, while poor old Jim seems to get picked on by Ginger quite a lot too, and has a big sore patch round her back.

 

We bought a saddle from the Omlet site but it didn't quite cover her, so we've stitched a bit more on so that it looks like she's wearing a denim skirt.

 

 

We'll see how we get on I suppose but it might be a question of seperating the troublemaker for a while.

 

 

One thing that does seem to help a bit with preventing boredom is hanging sweetcorn on a skewer just out of their reach. They have to jump to get it, which keeps them busy and also tires them out nicely.

[Sky]

I have exactly the same problem, sprays seem to have stopped it getting worse but my four all have bald patches and they are all perfectly happy together. The feather pecking with mine is not bullying it occurs when they are all lying together and they just pluck feathers out of each other as a form of "over enthusiastic grooming" Not really sure what to do I am hoping that when the colder weather comes they will come to their senses and let each others' feathers grow. I have limited them to just proper layers pellets with greens as treats and some Life-Gueard tonic in their water. They are all laying well - I spray them every couple of weeks and I have told them that the alternative will be to call the farmer in

[JanTheDiver]

Hi, thanks for all the comments. I have decided to put a bumper bit on the main offender and see if that helps, she is just addicted to eating feathers I didn't want to do this but it may be the only way.

 

I will keep up with the Netex though as it does seem to put the others off a bit.

 

Thanks

 

Jan