Rob Thomson Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Hello all, I wonder if anyone can offer some advice. One of our ex-batts has gone psycho and is severely pecking the other two. We've had our three girls for about 15 months. They've never been a particularly harmonious flock but (excepting one or two incidents when blood has been drawn) they've seemed fairly happy together. The pecking order is clear; Pamela's in charge (she's a fair bit larger than the other two), Milly's second, and poor little Anita's always been bottom of the tree (except for the mouse that lives in the tree and the wild birds that she takes out her frustrations on). They were in terrible condition when we got them, but Pamela re-feathered within a couple of months. The other two took much longer which we put down to luck of the draw, but with hindsight I reckon Pamela's always had a taste for feathers. However, in the autumn Milly and Anita suddenly re-feathered too, and for a while we had three beautiful hens running around the garden. Since Christmas Pamela has started removing feathers from a patch in the middle of Milly's back, and more recently from around Anita's tail. Last night I went to tuck them up and discovered that Anita had packed her bags, moved out of the coop, and was cuddled up in a corner of their covered dust bath. She was bleeding from several feather stubs on her lower back, and had evidently decided that a night in the cold was preferable to another night in the coop with Pamela. Instead she spent a night in the downstairs loo, tucked up in a cosy box, and had an extra supper of mealworm and corn to cheer her up. The BHWT suggested that Pamela might be vitamin deficient, so for the past couple of weeks they've been on multivits. This hasn't made any difference, if anything she's getting worse. I don't know whether it's relevent, but the little girls more-or-less free range - they have our quite large back lawn (or what used to be a lawn) all to themselves (apart from the mouse and wild birds). Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks, Rob (6'7", 16 stone, 35yr old man crying over his chickens ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 In afraid it sounds like this has become a nasty habit, I assume you have tried anti-peck spray which at this stage I think will be ineffective. You have a few options, you can seperate the bully from the good girls for a few weeks, that will knock her confidence and give the victim a chance to recover and gain confidence but should that not be an option or that's doesn't work I would fit a bumpa bit, straight away if not sooner! Be careful as the other may see the red of the blood and have a go too, I would dress the wound with purple spray to disguise the red.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 I appreciate your frustration Rob. Several things I can suggest. Is the run big enough and have they distractions and a perch in it? Ideally they need 4m2 each and problems really start below 2m2. Chickens need to feed at three distinct heights; ground scratching and pecking, mid-height pecking and high level where they have to jump a bit. One thing we have had which makes chickens very grumpy due to the pain they are in is scaly leg mites. Worth checking for that and any lice infestation. Failing all that I would fit a Bumpa beak bit. Worth noting is that it needs to be slightly longer than the beak to be effective. Omlet sell 25mm bits individually, but we have one hen that needed a 30mm and we had to buy 100 of them from a Gamekeeping shop (they fit them to pheasants)! In the interim you need anti-pecking spray. I don't like using it because it effectively punishes the victim, who then gets the foul tasting stuff in her beak when she tries to preen. This is what turned us to Bumpa bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Beantree, how do you include high level pecking in a run? What equipment do you suggest ? My girls free range in the afternoons for about an hour or so in the winter and a lot longer when it's warmer and my fox patrol ears don't have to be tuned up quite so well. But any tips for keeping them hentertained would help. Off to put them in now, armed with warm porridge, greens...... No they are not spoilt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Thomson Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks both. We've been using anti-peck and purple sprays but it probably could do with a top-up. They have at least 100m2 between the three of them. We're fairlt sure they're lice/mite-free - Milly went to the vets a few weeks ago and was pronounced clear. We tried fitting a Bumpabit to Pamela about a year ago after one incident when Anita had a big hole pecked in her back. However we couldn't get it to fit, felt that we were hurting her, and gave up. Maybe it's time to try again. Beantree, please could you elborate about feeding at three levels. They spend their days scratching the lawn into a muddy mess, take their pellets from an Omlet Grub, but they don't have anything higher. We have tried hanging things from trees but they've never taken any interest. Please could you suggest how to improve this? Thanks, Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 There is a YouTube video of bumpa bit fitting, maybe worth a look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 we have a feather pecker in our gang too - bumpas bits are the only thing that has worked for us - she had one on for about 3 months and then we removed it - had to refit a few months ago when we got 4 more exbats but we will remove it soon - its a habit that needs to be broken They never look comfortable to be honest but she doesnt mind once shes stopped sulking ! good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 p.s i always hold the hens and hubby fits the bumpas - we got some cheap pliers from amazon and the bumpas from there too xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Thomson Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 We failed at Bumpabit fitting simply because we couldn't hold her head firmly enough to stop her moving - at least not without feeling like we'd break something. Time to man-up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 We failed at Bumpabit fitting simply because we couldn't hold her head firmly enough to stop her moving - at least not without feeling like we'd break something. Time to man-up? They are pretty tough, just wrap her in a towel so she can't struggle. I know they look pretty nasty and some people don't approve of using them but apart from separating them, you don't really have much of a choice unfortunatetly because one thing I do know, she won't stop anytime soon!! I understand the new feathers taste particularly nice and that is why the habit develops.....irrelevant really because it's really distressing to see and for the poor picked on girl. I have four girls at the moment, one feeder of pellets, one of mash, the odd corn on the cob hanging just above head hight and a glug and gravity water container, overkill one thinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 I have to say if you are a bit of a pussy and dont like the idea of bumpa bits do the holding - I held and OH fitted - he did it so quick I though huh couldnt have done it properly stayed on for 2 weeks when he removed it. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 forgot to say this was fitted on our hen with the wonky beak - she looks like Rod Hulls emu when he crossed his beak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Sorry to hear about your problems. I hang broccoli from a piece of chain, from the run roof. I just stick a piece of metal binding wire through some broccoli pieces and tie it to the chain, just out of reach of my ladies. You can do the same with any green veg, including cabbage, sprouts etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks CT. Had completely forgotten about that. My girls will hopefully be pleased at a new toy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 We hang cabbage leaves up from a tree. The hens jump up at them and when they can't reach their cockerel jumps up and pulls bits off for them. They love it and it has helped a lot. The chickens in the other runs have bushes which they jump up into to pull grubs out. Read about this somewhere, but have read so many books recently I can't remember which one. Perhaps it was Gale Damerow's 'Raising Chickens"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Thomson Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hello all, I just wanted to update this... Evil Pamela has been separated from the other two, and has her very own Eglu at the other end of the garden. While I feel sorry for her, the other two are really blossoming after a fortnight without their bully and they seem so much happier. I hope at some point we'll be able to reintroduce them but for the time being I'm sure we've done the right thing. Thanks again for your help. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 My run has broomsticks and branches in all corners, secured with cable ties at different levels. Also a hanging basket, which they love to sit in. Recently got a shower caddy which I hang from middle of run with healthy snacks in. They get a bit obsessed with it, as it moves every time they peck it. My other girls all free range every day, all day. They make their own entertainment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I don't have the biggest of runs - 6.8 meters squared, (10.5ft x 7ft in old money), 73.5 square feet. I have a really odd dymanic in my chickens - depending on what is happening, different ones are in charge. When I come in Winnie is first up to me and will jump on anyone or chicken for mealworms. Quite often Pixie hangs back but when the treat ball comes into play, she will chase Winnie off with a few pecks. So much so that I bought a second so Winnie would get some. They sleep in the same order on the perches too. I not only throw stuff on the run floor but also let them have the treat balls which they spend ages playing football with. They have the start of an activity center comprising of some perches in one corner. Unfortunately OH never sorted the roof properly so rain drips in on the back edge of the run making the weld mesh and the corners wet. They also have the string which I hang sprouts, broccoli and other green things on. In the activity corner they have a few bird feeders which I fill with green stuff for them. I have not let them out yet. I feel a bit awful about that but they are all laying, a good weight and looking well, so hopefully they are happy with a decent amount of space each. They get a turf now and again too, so they get fresh grass. I love the idea of a hanging basket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
