Cube mk2 and WIR

[TINKS]

hi should i be worried that my chicken (blacky) is pecking my other chickens feathers and even attacking certain hens and when shes not doing this shes sitting on the nest all day long. I've read others experiences and it seams I should just wait and see what happens.Would this not stress the other hens if I did nothing. Would separation help. Egg production has definately dropped over the last few days!

Help and advise please

Deb

[AMO]

I have been having the same problem with my hens! I have been told to apply vaseline to the area of the hen been pecked (avoiding the oil gland on the lower back) this will giving the pecking hens a mouthful of harmless but unpleasant goo which should put them off! I did try the violet spray when the pecking first started but this did not deter the peckers. Mine have been seperated for two weeks now so I hope the vaseline works! Let me know how you get on. AMO

[Chooks Aloud]

I too have a feather pecking/eating chook. They are all really friendly, but unfortunately she enjoys feathers. I am trying to break her of the habit at the moment and have put a bumper bit on her. Actually, it's the third she has had on in a week as she manages to get them off. They have all been confined to the run because I'm sure she levers it off somewhere in the garden. There is no where for her to do this in the run. So far, so good, she's had the same one on now for 2 days. I think I just have a very clever chook who has managed to work out how to free herself, given the right circumstance.

 

I tried vaseline, T-Tree oil but they did not work. The bumper bit, as long as it stays on, is working, so I will continue with these. If your problem does continue, get a bumper bit. They are easy to put on, especially after you have done it once.

 

Sit the chook on your lap, wrapped in a towel. A second person holds her down in the towel leaving you 2 free hands to put the bit on. Put your fingers either side of the beak and this will come open and quickly slide the bit in - you have to be very quick. When sliding the bit in do this at an angle with the prongs going over the top of the beak, then you just slide the prongs down over the beak. They just pop in. I worried about doing it but once you have the knack, it's quite easy. Hope this is helpful.

[AMO]

Tallulah was limping when I got home from work yesterday and after a trip to the vet was told to keep her seperate from the other two. Fifi took this as her chance to carry on tormenting Roxanne the vaseline didn't work so I am having to go and get bumper bits as a last resort - not looking forward to fitting that but poor Rozanne has a very sore back now.

 

I never thought I would get so distraught over chickens but the girls are real characters - Roxanne is just so friendly it breaks my heart to see her getting pecked!

[Elaine C]

Sit the chook on your lap, wrapped in a towel. A second person holds her down in the towel leaving you 2 free hands to put the bit on. Put your fingers either side of the beak and this will come open and quickly slide the bit in - you have to be very quick. When sliding the bit in do this at an angle with the prongs going over the top of the beak, then you just slide the prongs down over the beak. They just pop in. I worried about doing it but once you have the knack, it's quite easy. Hope this is helpful.

 

Thanks for this description. I really do need to fit a bumper bit to evil Kipper (and Nancy too I think) but having tried and failed several times to fit an anti-peck ring to her OH suggested that we would probably also have trouble fitting the bumper bit. Sounds easier than the anti-peck ring as you have to pull it apart to fit into the nostrils.

 

E