Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Burtie14]

A while ago we were in the depths of despair with a pecking problem. We had three sad tatty, baldy hens - Jim, in particular was constantly sore and bleeding. After trying everything else and a lot of soul searching, we very reluctantly fitted the culprit - Betty - with a bumper bit.

 

After 4 weeks, the transformation in the other hens has been amazing. These photos don’t do it justice but Jim in particular has regrown all his feathers – they’re really beautiful and very thick and soft, he is now such a happy fluffy fat hen.

 

Jim a month ago – bald patches all round back and sore patches – most of knickers patchy

 

You can see how straggly Jim’s tail was

 

Now look at Jim in a recent picture! What a healthy chicken!

 

His old tail feathers have fallen out, and new ones are coming through! Clever fluffy hen.

 

And here’s Dusty, who didn’t want to be left out of photos. Silly chicken.

 

And the best part is that Betty is no different, she is still slightly demented but the same naughty inquisitive chicken she always was. In a couple of weeks we’ll remove the bit and see if she can be trusted to behave without it.

 

It’s a happy time for our hens!

[quickcluck]

He certainly does look lovely!!!

[Patricia W]

You've prompted me to get a bumpa bit for my Aracauna who has taken a liking to Phillip's lovely head feathers! Must remember where to get one from ...

[quickcluck]

The Wernlas Collection, just send them a stamp for payment and an SAE

[mostin]

I always get mine from ebay. I have one naughty Orpington who always needs to wear one . she is very high maintainance and gets bored very easily and then starts feather pecking. I have given up givinf her second chances, and she just wears one all the time now . she is such a Diva .

[chickyhazel]

Jim looks like a very happy chicken now, I am glad the bumper bit worked

[Burtie14]

The bumper bit was very much a last resort, but we're so pleased we did it. The 'old' photos don't really show how battered Jim was - there was so much exposed skin and constantly bleeding feathers, that we used to worry about coming home each day to see the state of him. Now we can't get over how plump and feathery he is.

 

We got our bits on eBay and I think using circclips made it much easier. I'll never forget how sad and reproachful Betty looked when we first fitted it, but by the next day she had found ways to do all the things she always loved doing (ie - shoving other chickens away from food, eating daddy's nice plants, escaping from daddy, pecking daddy's jeans, etc etc). Blooming chicken.