Solitary chicken - need advice

[Millie-Annie]

I am going to have to bite the bullet and invest in some bumper bits for my two ex-batts.

 

If I don't my gorgeous Orpington faces the winter with no feathers. They have already stripped her back end, she looks like one of those monkey's with big red backsides. They are now moving up her body and I noticed this morning she is bald under the wings.

 

Where do I get bumper bits please and how easy are they to fit?

 

They feather peck each other too

Edited August 6, 2016 by Guest

[jasperaliceuk]

Omlet or Ebay for the bits. You'd do well to get the circlip pliers too to make it easier.

[jasperaliceuk]

Omlet or Ebay for the bits. You'd do well to get the circlip pliers too to make it easier.

[Millie-Annie]

Ok I have ordered the bits and the pliers. I am a bit concerned about the warning not to leave them on for more than 2 weeks. Will 2 weeks be long enough to stop this and if not can I take them off and fit new ones?

[Beantree]

Over two weeks and the nostrils will become permanently distorted. However two weeks is unlikely to cure a well developed habit and we've had hens that have worn them for so long they wore out sand were replaced. About three months before the habit was broken. Worth mentioning the bit should be about 3mm longer than the beak or it will have no effect. They will struggle to eat off the floor so need feed in a feeder.

 

The standard size is 25mm, but you can get 30mm for hens with very large beaks. I consider external circlip pliers an essential tool to fit them. Struggling with anything else is likely to cause injury by them not being in the correct position.

[Millie-Annie]

It this kinder than rehoming them into a bigger flock I am wondering?

 

They wont be able to dig around and pick bits up of the floor? Thats what they spend all day doing

 

There were originally four of them and I rehomed the worst two and hoped the other two would be manageable but they're not

[jasperaliceuk]

Mine don't seem to have difficulty feeding from the ground. After a nasty scalping of one my new hens I have bitted the older two. After half a day of indignant face wiping and trying to scratch them off they are now second nature. They are managing to eat well and have even had a go at hanging greens. Only thing they can't do is peck at something hard like sweetcorn - although they are having a good go at mushy fallen apples in the garden.

[Millie-Annie]

So it took 20 mins to fit the bumpa bits and 20 secs for them to get them off. We followed the instructions on the online clip, they looked like the were fitted properly but they scratched and they scratched and they popped off.

 

So now going to try separating them, which will be nicer than bumpa bits for them, but twice the work for me.

 

Any one else found this problem?

[jasperaliceuk]

It sounds like they weren't quite in the nostril properly. We've had exactly the same problem. Horrible as it is you just have to try again. Did you soak the bits in hot water to soften them a bit?

[Millie-Annie]

Yes we did. After the first one got hers off, I pinched the prongs into the nostrils even harder on the second. I am not sure they were big enough to be honest. When you look at photos of chickens and bumpa bits the end bit protrudes beyond the beak, these didn't they just fitted to the end of the beak. They hated them, and I am not sure I could have stood it. Even my husband, who is a much tougher cookie than me, said it was distressing to watch them scratching them off.

 

So they will still feather peck each other, but at least my Orpington might grow some feathers back. These ex-batts look worse now than when I rescued them

[Beantree]

We had it happen once. They were separated and the bit fitted again and no problem. Yes it's horrible but the alternative is despatch!

[Millie-Annie]

Ok, so I had a long chat with Anthony, a lovely man at Cotswold Chickens. I sent him a photo of my bumper bits and he said they weren't long enough or the right size. He kindly sent me 6 more for free, and last night we fitted them with no problem and they stayed on. However, I am finding it really sad seeing them not able to pick up mealworms or peck at the cabbages I hang up. But then I look at my bald Orpington and feel sad so its the lesser of two evils I suppose.

 

Anthony doesn't think its a bullying problem with mine, as they all get along fine. The fact that the two ex-batts pick feathers up off the floor and eat them as well as feather pecking everyone, he feels is an addiction to carotene which is found in feathers. Unfortunately it is the hardest of the habits to break so he doesn't hold out much hope they will ever come out of bumper bits, so now I am wondering if rehoming really would be kinder?

[chickencam]

I had a couple of girls who wore bumper bits long term and it worked for them and us. We did have one little one who was just one of life's victims and we had to separate her permanently she would just lie there and let them attempt to eat her alive, she was so good natured, so we made a small run and house near the others so that she could see them but was safe. I felt for her and it was a bit of a pain having three groups for about 18 months but I couldn't bear to part with her. We have two groups, yearly newcomers who get mixed with the mixed older flock in the late summer each year before getting more youngsters. We have the most docile group of youngsters at the moment and are just mixing them in the garden to try to amalgamate them with the older ones in the hope of getting more in a few weeks.

[Ursula123]

Maudie my speckled girl has a bumpa bit on permenantly as she pecks at the others but also pulls the feathers out behind her own wings, I do spray her with Scarper to try and discourage this but Bumpa bits work the best. She manages just fine to get her share of meal worms and corn, they do adapt very quickly to having them on. I change the bumpa bit every month.

[The Dogmother]

Ok, so I had a long chat with Anthony, a lovely man at Cotswold Chickens. I sent him a photo of my bumper bits and he said they weren't long enough or the right size. He kindly sent me 6 more for free, and last night we fitted them with no problem and they stayed on. However, I am finding it really sad seeing them not able to pick up mealworms or peck at the cabbages I hang up. But then I look at my bald Orpington and feel sad so its the lesser of two evils I suppose.

 

Anthony doesn't think its a bullying problem with mine, as they all get along fine. The fact that the two ex-batts pick feathers up off the floor and eat them as well as feather pecking everyone, he feels is an addiction to carotene which is found in feathers. Unfortunately it is the hardest of the habits to break so he doesn't hold out much hope they will ever come out of bumper bits, so now I am wondering if rehoming really would be kinder?

 

You need to have the bits further back in the nostrils as there is a flap of skin just inside the front of the nostril.

[Millie-Annie]

Hi, I have fitted the longer bits Anthony sent me and I think they are on correctly. How would I know if not? They don't seem bothered at all by them now and have mastered all their old habits, including feather packing. My husband thinks they are just doing the action and not actually getting hold of any feathers, and I hope he is right. They have some feathers finally coming through on their backends, so we will see if they stay and flourish or disappear. I have never had this problem before and hope I never have it again

 

Thank you for your help and advice

[The Dogmother]

If they can't get them off, then they are probably in the right place look at where they are positioned in the nostril, and the part of the bit which fits in the nostril should be towards the back.

[Millie-Annie]

Please would you have a look at my latest post in Chicken Clinic, thank you