jasperaliceuk Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 In my quest to stop feather plucking by my Silver Link, Rose, I bought what looks like an plastic enclosed toilet roll holder complete with roll of paper which is designed for parrots to shred, to keep them occupied and stop them feather plucking. Well, they seem to be interested, well at least one of them is, but she eats the paper - so I have hurriedly removed it for the moment. What do you think? Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I wouldn't bother with it, just pop a bumper bit on her to stop the pecking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey68 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Hey Sue, perhaps we can help each other get the bumper bits on!! I've got a rather serious problem with a bluebelle, and have her latest victim living in the kitchen at the moment.... I have a bumper bit on order to arrive on thursday .... Marion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Circlip pliers are the ideal tool to get bumper bits on if thats any help With feather pecking problems its worth really evaluating the space available, check they arent a bit overcrowded and if there is room then perches, dustbaths, old tyres etc... are all good at diverting them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 I'm trying to leave bumpabits as a last resort - the chickens are certainly not short on space and I'm trying to give them plenty of freerange time when I am gardening or coralling them near the house - much to the destruction of my containers which are being thoroughly weeded. As far as I can seem I'm doing everything that is recommended to stop boredom, add extra protein and calcium. Talking to other chicken keepers everyone seems to think there is no solution. What I would like to know is - are the bumpabits a cure? - ie stop the behaviour - to stop it becoming self reinforcing - or is it just a stop gap to get feather regrowth. I can see some regrowth happening on the chickens but I do still see the sly peck, particularly when they are dustbathing - I'm convinced the majority is done when they are huddled together in the house. I have already had one chicken keeper offer to bump her off! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Bumperbits will help certainly. And it will give the victims some respite. I always put the victims 'yooman rights' above that of the bullying hen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Bumperbits will help certainly. And it will give the victims some respite. I always put the victims 'yooman rights' above that of the bullying hen. I agree. Bumper bits will usually stop a hen from pulling feathers - this is very important as feather pulling often ends in cannibalism when they taste a wee bit of blood on the end of a feather. I have heard of very few occasions of them not working on the odd devil hen. Most seasoned chicken keepers would recommend using bits, the last resort being to either introduce a cockerel (if you are able to keep one) to keep the peace or to cull the bully if it refuses to stop. I have seen a few cases of very badly pecked hens and believe me it's not a nice way for them to go. I have been asked to despatch two such hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Hey Sue, perhaps we can help each other get the bumper bits on!! I've got a rather serious problem with a bluebelle, and have her latest victim living in the kitchen at the moment.... I have a bumper bit on order to arrive on thursday .... Marion So the bully wins and the 'victim' is removed? When the victim goes back it will be like a new intro and could be even worse. I have a bluebelle who is now almost 5 years old - currently she is without abumper bit and is behaving, but she has spent over half her life with a bumper bit and when she went through a really naughty patch she lived in isolation in an eglu for many weeks - once she wasn't 'top-hen' in the flock and they all got on without her she went back in (a few failed attempts before final reintroduction). Now she is absolutely well mannered to all. Once you get the knack of fitting bumper bits they really are a great tool for stopping damage and the wearer forgets about it in a few hours. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Completely agree about bumpa bits and in isolating the bully not the victim. The bully goes down the pecking order and that is often all that is needed. Bumpa bits are a bit fiddly to get on but after 5 mins they forget they are on. I find they drop off naturally after about 2 months by which time the behaviour has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey68 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Hey Sue, perhaps we can help each other get the bumper bits on!! I've got a rather serious problem with a bluebelle, and have her latest victim living in the kitchen at the moment.... I have a bumper bit on order to arrive on thursday .... Marion So the bully wins and the 'victim' is removed? When the victim goes back it will be like a new intro and could be even worse. I have a bluebelle who is now almost 5 years old - currently she is without abumper bit and is behaving, but she has spent over half her life with a bumper bit and when she went through a really naughty patch she lived in isolation in an eglu for many weeks - once she wasn't 'top-hen' in the flock and they all got on without her she went back in (a few failed attempts before final reintroduction). Now she is absolutely well mannered to all. Once you get the knack of fitting bumper bits they really are a great tool for stopping damage and the wearer forgets about it in a few hours. Tracy Once popcorn recovers from the huge gash in her back, and theres no risk of fly strike or her being attacked again because of the blood, I'll get her back with the girls, (she is visiting them every day). The naughty bluebelle will have a bumpa bit fitted then if there are any more problems I'll take her out and follow your lead as above... youre right its not fair that the victim is punished, unfortunately in this instance if it wasnt for the quick thinking of my neighbour or the postie, poor popcorn would be dead. I came home to find a bloody mess and her best friend pecking at the hole in her back, fortunately the two blue belles had been seperated from them otherwise it would have been a complete disaster. I have to say I was in shock for a couple of hours as I never realised what a frenzy was caused when they saw/tasted blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 You were quite right to remove the victim in this case as the wound needs to heal If there had been no bloodshed it would have been different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Have you tried some Stockholm Tar on the wound? It's messy but really helps it heal, keeps the flies away and the chooks hate the taste of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Chuck Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Hi Sue I had a problem with feather pecking and I posted my experience on "Phoebe has lost her knickers" post as shown below:- I had a problem with bullying and feather pecking last year and it was horrible to see it happening and very challenging to deal with. In the end I separated the bully from the rest of the flock to give the vicim of bullying a chance to recover. I have only a small garden so it took some lateral thinking to divide it up so that all the hens had enough space. I made sure the bully slept on her own (she hated that) and kept this regime up for nearly a fortnight. I really had to harden my heart to keep this up and it paid off in the end because when I reintroduced the bully back into the flock (lower down the pecking order) the bullying didn't start up again and peace has reigned for several months since then. The victim didn't have any open wounds so I was able to leave her with the rest of the flock while I separated the bully who slept in a spare eglu for the duration of her confinement. I am always on the lookout for the problem to recur but at least I have a strategy for dealing with it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 I had thought of doing this - I still have the Eglu Go and run. I honestly don't think it is bullying though and she does not seem at all aggressive, although she is a bit enthusiastic with a peck if I hand feed her - she is not the most delicate! She is not a top chicken so I feel it is a bad habit. Yesterday I ordered some bumperbits but I would still rather not use them. Perhaps I will try the isolation for a while. Do you reckon this needs to be total isolation or could she free range with the others when I let them out as I never see any pecking then. They are just happy doing their own thing. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Chuck Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I was tempted to let the bully (Bella) FR with the rest of the girls but because she was within sight of the others during the day I decided not too. I could see that Bella wanted to join them but I decided that decisive measures were necessary to curb her bad habit and she needed to learn that feather pecking would incur a spell in the 'clink'. All this happened nine months ago and I have not had to deal with this problem again YET. I call this method 'Cognitive Behaiour Therapy for hens'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Yesterday I ordered some bumperbits but I would still rather not use them. Perhaps I will try the isolation for a while. Do you reckon this needs to be total isolation or could she free range with the others when I let them out as I never see any pecking then. They are just happy doing their own thing. Sue You need to isolate her totally, 24/7. She may learn; they often do, but have the bit on standby in case she starts again. Some folks think the bits are harsh but the chook soon forgets they have it on and it's far better than the alternative - the other week I had to euthanase someone's hen after a bully had pecked its rear end out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mcconnochies Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 bumper bits are the way to go...it has solved our bullying problem completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
