Chicken bald back

[SuburbanChick]

Well my 4 hens seem a happy little band during the day scratching around in their 3metre run and perching happily together. The pecking order was established very quickly and apart form a bit of clucking if someone wanted to use the nest box everything was okay. BUT .....I was horrified when doing my weekly checks to find that Florence [top chook I thought] had a bare bum and tum She honestly looked oven ready When I checked the others, two of them had either a bare patch or broken feathers underneath. Georgina, whom I thought was bottom of the pecking order, had a wonderfully fluffy, feathery underside!! Culprit established.

 

I've been using anti-pecking spray on all three pecked chickens but yesterday Florence had all the feathers pecked off the inside of one of her legs so I sprayed even more.

 

I think this pecking and feather eating is happening in the Cube but when? When they go to bed or in the morning while they are waiting to be let out???

 

We really don't feel competent to fit a bumpa bit on Georgina so what can I do? Would it help to leave the Cube door open overnight so that the others could escape from Georgina if she is pecking them while waiting to get out? We have to remove the water and food at night because of mice so they wouldn't have that until around 6.45am. Would that be okay?

 

The other solution I was considering was removing Georgina at night and putting her in a crate. Would the garage or the greenhouse be a suitable place to put her??

 

Any advice gratefully accepted. I had no idea chicken keeping would be so upsetting.

[Chickabee]

You could leave the door open. I leave mine open nearly all year. Do you feed them corn, this can make them a bit hyperactive. You can try boredom busters. I think lee weedon had a similar problem a while ago. You could check out his posts, or he might read this one and give you some tips. I think most people end up with bumpa bits though. Good luck, it is horrible, my pekin frizzle needed up nearly bald. I moved her and a friend in the end.

[gavclojak]

I would be surprised if it's happening when they go to bed, more likely while waiting to get up, but I am also surprised the underneath of the girls has been nibbled, usually the head/neck /back and vent area.

 

If it's safe I would leave the cube door open or cover the cube so it's really dark until you are able to free them, it will be fine to take food away although water is safe left out.

 

I have tried a few anti peck sprays and purple spray and the results were inconclusive at best, the best anti peck was nettex, it has a foul smell.

 

I would also maybe up the protein in the diet a little, maybe a little tuna?

 

Hope you get it resolved before it turns into a habit in which case bumpa bits may be the only solution I'm afraid

[Beantree]

Mice will eat tail feathers given the chance SuburbanChick. They eat the big ones with the blood in. If they are being eaten at night that's a possibility, so you need to be absolutely sure there is no way in for mice. They are very agile and can get through really small gaps. A gap more than 10mm will let a mouse in.

[SuburbanChick]

Eeeek Beantree! I didn't know that about mice - something else to worry about I don't think it can be a mouse though because so many of the little fluffy feathers underneath the girls and on their legs have disappeared. I've checked them thoroughtly for mice and lice but they seem fine.

 

Georgina spent the night in the sin bin [crate in garage] and went back in with the others this morning. Don't expect she'll be laying an egg for me today after that!

 

I've looked up Lee Weedon's thread Chickabee but he seemed to try everything but still had a problem. It's very worrying.

 

Perhaps the way to go is as you and Gavclojak suggested and leave the Cube door open so that the girls can get out as soon as it is light.

 

Still puzzled as to why the leg and underneath fluffy feathers have been pecked out when people say it's usually head, neck, back and vent area

[gavclojak]

Broodys usually pluck out their own feathers from the under-carriage area but from your description they don't sound broody? X

Edited June 2, 2014 by Guest

[paulad]

Bumpa Bits are the ONLY thing that worked for us - we have never fitted them before but it was really easy - i held them hubby fitted the bumpa - it really is the only way !

[paulad]

good luck x

[Beantree]

Don't forget you need 'external circlip pliers' to fit Bumpa Bits. Otherwise it can be a real struggle and rather hit-and-miss.

 

Seems funny they are missing where a broody would pluck them? Of course the mice only eat lower feathers. The ones they can reach without disturbing the bird.

[SueChick]

Hi - I have been struggling with feather pecking for years - different chooks at different times - bumper buts work but need to be changed regularly as they wear thin and then they can still pull the feathers out - so far I am changing them weekly to be on the extra safe side but this is probably overkill! I have come to the conclusion that boredom plays a huge part in this annoying habit and even though mine have a large run with sand bath, perches etc, if you don't enrich their lives daily with different things, they get fed up with the same old routine if they are shut in all day.

 

I googled chicken boredom busting and got loads of fab ideas but I'm still waiting to see if it's working - it's been just over one week so too early to say. If it works, I will post an update.

 

Good luck.