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[emmajanie]

Hi All,

 

I'm hoping for some advice please with my feather pecking issues. I'm a new chicken owner and got my 7 girls and cube in October. Sadly a lifelong dream is turning into a nightmare

 

We've had some feather pecking issues from the start, but it has escalated the last few days. We have gone from a couple of them having bald bottoms to 2 being almost bald all over and now the last 2 days 2-3 have bleeding bottoms as well where they're being pecked. Interestingly its only the pepperpots that have feather loss. There's a bit on the 4 gingers but nothing really to write home about at all. There are never any feathers anywhere in the run/coop.

 

So far we've tried the following:

feather pecking spray with no effect

violet spray with no effect

bumpa bit for Mrs Weasley for a month as she seemed to be a big offender eating the feathers. This came off and within 5 minutes she was at it again!

Added calcium to their water and introduced daily mealworms for protein. This immediately increased egg production right up.

On christmas day we put bump bits on back on Mrs Weasley and also Mavis who seems to be a bully. There has been more blood since though. I've seen Prudy at it today.

 

My next plan tomorrow is to resort to stokholm tar I think and I'm going to put bump bits on all the rest of the gingers. Does anyone have any other advice? I'm really at my wits end.

 

I'm cross with Omlet as well I'm afraid. We bought the cube with a 3m run and were told this was sufficient to house 10 hens, and I explained that we can't let then free range as no one on our terrace has any fences at all. I've since found out that as a minimum requirement for happy hens they should have 1m2 per hen and we have half of that. I suspect this is one issue. In the spring when we can afford it I will be buying a new, larger house with run, but currently I have no means of extending their space or investing in a broody coop to isolate the victims to recover.

 

Any advice would be so welcome, thank you

[mullethunter]

Hi Emmajanie. I'm sorry to hear that you and your Miss Pepperpots are having a rough time. Unfortunately I suspect the lack of space is the root of your problems. It is disappointing that Omlet told you a 3m run would be big enough for ten non free ranging hens, but at the end of the day I suppose they are just there - like any business - to make money.

 

I've never used bumper bits myself, but hopefully they'll stop the worst of the pecking. I'd say (as it sound like you already know) you need to give them more space asap, but until you can I'd put loads of perches in the run so the Pepperpots can get away. If the bumper bits don't work I'd bodge a partition in the run. I know this would be difficult as you only have 3m to play with but at least the Pepperpots would have time to heal.

[Cat tails]

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time.

 

I too think the space might be the biggest issue. I would definately add some perches to the run. Just stick some branches/sticks/etc through the mesh of the run, all the way across. Another quick fix is giving them plenty of distraction by hanging up some veg or fruit. Think about whole apples in a string, whole cabbages on a string, broccoli is a favorite of my chickens. Also brussel sprouts are nice distraction food. Anything that will take them some time to demolish.

 

If you want to solve it long term, you might want to increase their space. I think there are three ways you could do this, depending on your space, situation and budget.

1) extent the run another meter or more

2) add a walk-in-run to your existing set up (pricy!)

3) get some netting to section off a part of your garden/space to contain the chickens in. This might be the fastests and cheapest solution, but will offer some extra space to your ladies, when you are home.

 

I never used any bumpa bits, but I do know a lot of people around here have them permanently on their hens, with no ill effects.

[emmajanie]

Thanks for the reply

 

Yes I think the lack of space is the problem too, and it reassures me you think similar. I just feel bad I can't do anything about for a couple of months. I really am quite annoyed with Omlet as I went to the trouble of calling them before I ordered for advice re space specifically as I can't free range them. Unfortunately we are really up against it financially until mid February when hopefully I will get my bonus at work.

 

My plan is then to get some kind of walk-in for extra space and because it kills my back crawling around in there. I'm unsure at the moment which way to go, it will either be an Omlet walk-in, although I feel reluctant at the moment to spend another substantial sum with them, or I might just swap to the Flyte so Fancy Aviary Grande which is a coop and run all in one with perches etc built in for up to 8 chickens. We're going to go and have a look at it in the new year and decide then as they're only an hour away from us. It's just the plastic vs wood I need to explore a bit more. I might explore a partition but I don't really want to spend much (aside from being flat broke) as in 6 weeks we'll be expanding anyway, it seems like a waste of £100 to get another extension now.

 

We will try and sort out some perches tomorrow. They do have a swing but the pepper pots never seem to use it, just 3 of the gingers.

 

Once again, thank you so much for the advice - I really appreciate it. I just want it sorted as at the moment I'm beginning to feel like I'd never started which is very sad after wanting them for 15 years

[Cat tails]

If you want a low cost, quick fix: look around if anyone has some left over chicken wire and some bamboo poles. You can easily create some extra space around the chicken run, by attaching the chicken wire to either side of the door and using the bamboo poles of 'secure' the wire to the ground and give some shape. If you have some tent pegs, you can use those to secure the bottom to the ground. It doesn't have to be very high (my bantams don't fly over the 50 cm of bird wire and bamboo poles keeping them from my veg bed, although they are slightly smaller than your birds)

 

You can only let them out when you are supervising them, but might give you a bit more time to figure out what you are going to do and prevent them from wandering onto your neighbours plot.

[gavclojak]

I have to say all the advice given is spot on, you will have to take the bull by the horns and do something I'm afraid as the bleeding hens need time to heal and gain some confidence and if bumpa bits are not working the only thing is either rehoming a few hens until you can afford a bigger run or trying to separate what you have. Can you mock up an extension to the run with galvernised steel on the end of the run and a cheap second hand rabbit hutch and the opposite end?

Maybe if anyone is in your area they may be able to loan you a spare coop/hutch run? Foster a few of your girls? Where are you based

[Grandmashazzie]

I have the flute so fancy walk in run with my omlet Classic and go up inside. It is very well made and rodent resistant if laid on paving slabs.If you are anyway handy you could copy and make it much cheaper. I found a local chap on gumtree who made similar. Good quality but a fraction of course,we then did our own corrugated roofing from b and q. Although in this rain the WIR is still a pond!

[clucker1]

Hi, I really feel for you. The thing is how you deal with if now. I am sure one of us could house a few chickens for you til mid February if necessary, where do you live? Chickens really are great fun, very therapeutic too, believe it or not.

[emmajanie]

Thank you so much for the replies everyone. Touchwood things are a little better. I've put bumper bits on all my gingernuts and am sloshing the tar stuff on the bottoms of the pepperpots. We also put some branches in and perches and I've not seen much blood since

I'm away with work now until Friday so will assess again on Saturday unless my other half says anything in the meantime.im off to look ok at new coops and runs this weekend

[clucker1]

That sounds good . I bought a pecka block when I went on holiday, I put it in the run a couple of days before I went and that kept them hentertained! Upper class chickens pecking it and middle classes collecting the bits off the floor and lower classes busy scoffing from the numerous feeders without someone watching them. It lasted 10 days, so not cheap @£10 but kept them busy whilst we were on holiday and no free ranging available.

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear about your problems; some sterling advice above. I would also move the drinkers and feeders slightly higher... this will make the birds reach up for the food/water, making their tails drop down - exposes less of a favourite pecking area.

 

Roughly where in the SW are you? I am happy to help with fitting bits properly if you're having problems.