Diamond egg gal Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I have 3 chickens and I have problems with 2 of them and I would be very grateful for some advice please? In April we went away for the weekend and I had asked a neighbours son to feed the chickens which he had done in the past. However this time he'd didn't feed them!! I won't bore you with the story why - just put it down to unrequited love between him and my teenage DD. Well the head chock Dolly had pulled out her chest and tummy feathers, which I put down to distress over not being fed. However this has not grown back and now another of my 3 chickens has started to pull out her feathers. The 3rd chicken is unaffected. The chickens are all wormed, poo picked every day and each time I sprinkle red mite and louse powder onto the roosting bars in the eglu. I feed them on Garvo and I put cider vinegar into their drinking water. The eglu and run is on a barked area. All 3 are eating well, laying eggs, have bright combs that are standing upright. I have never seen any of them bullying each other. I have checked them over and can't see any bugs. Their legs are also clear of any irritation. I do need to sort our a specific area for them for a dust bath? I have restricted them to their run and not the whole of the garden as we were getting sick of cleaning poo off the patio. But they have a barked area of about 12/15 metres square. So as the 3rd chicken is unaffected could this be boredom over grooming? or do I need a Vets visit? Any advice that you could offer would be fab. I have enclosed some photos that I took today for you to look at. Thanks again Beth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amycribyn Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Sorry to hear about your chucks. Chickens do have a tendancy to feather peck themselves and other when they are bored, so perhaps you could distract them with somthing to do. I hang grass cuttings and vegetables up in my chicken pen to keep mine entertained and sprinkle corn and treats around the run to give them somthing to do. Even if it is not bordem causing the feather loss it will give them somthing to do. Hope this helps, Amy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I've got one girl who has been getting all her neck feathers pulled out by the others . I've been putting purple spray on the affected area and the new feathers are growing back in nicely (remarkably quickly too!). It helps with any sore skin and they seem not to be tempted to peck when it's not pink/red. Word of warning, wear gloves and old clothes, spraying a chicken who then shakes her head can be a messy business . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond egg gal Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 Thank you for your replys. I will definitely sort out some chicken boredom stoppers in the run asap and I will give the purple spray a go to. Something else I noticed was that over the past 3 days I have been picking less poo?! But Ive just finished a worming session so I'm not sure if that would cause that? I'm at such a loss as what to do. Thanks again x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I'd have words with the one that hasn't lost the feathers! Mine do lose some when it's warmer and when broody. May be worth giving some tonic like lifeguard in case a mineral deficiency is stimulating the behaviour. Naughty girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond egg gal Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Funny you should say that Plum as I saw the fully feathered one having a peck at one of the others! Never seen that before. She also chased off one when she tried to get to a hanging apple. I think I've got a pecker!!! I'm purple spraying the pecked two and I've been adding cider vinegar to their water. In a way I'm glad its not mites but now I need to stop this bullying I'm also surprised as its not the head chock doing it. (The black one, Dolly) Can the hierarchy change in a group with a new head girl taking over? Thanks x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Yes if something tips the balance. You could try anti pecking spray on their feathers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
