Richard Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 I have one of my girls - the Maran - who feather pecks all the others. It isn't the same as the pecking/bullying type of thing that goes on. Liz isn't top of the pecking order, or bottom, but she goes round pulling feathers out of the other girls, mainly from the back end where the feathers are small and fluffy. She especially likes the Orpingtons as they have lovely fluffy feathers; but she goes for the Buff Sussex as well. She eats the feathers. Needless to say the others get a bit annoyed. Unfortunately the girls below her in the pecking order, especially poor Arrietty, tend to get a fair bit of this treatment and they aren't awfully happy about it. I've read about bumpa bits, feather pecking rings, and also about a spray to go on the other girls. It seems unfair to spray all the others just because of Liz's habit - can anyone give me advice; has anyone experience of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 2, 2007 Author Share Posted September 2, 2007 Further to my previous post, she has got crazy about pecking the others feathers today! I've put her in solitary (in the Eglu and run, which sits inside the big run). I'm going to leave her there for a couple of days to see if she forgets about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James H Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 after the couple of days dont forget to pick her up and give her a good talking to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Hi I used the bumper bits and I found that her beak over grew so Ive taken it off her and am hoping that she wears it down a I would rarther not have it cliped! before after you can actually see a fant line where the beak should end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 2, 2007 Author Share Posted September 2, 2007 Hi I used the bumper bits and I found that her beak over grew so Ive taken it off her and am hoping that she wears it down a I would rarther not have it cliped! you can actually see a fant line where the beak should end! Hi Emma That is really useful. Can I ask a couple of questions please? Did you put the bit on yourself? did it need special equipment or is it fairly easy to fit? Was it easy to get off? As regards trimming the beak - I used to trim my dogs nails, would it not be pretty similar? If you kept nibbling it back to the faint line you can see, do you think it would be OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 One of ours has just started doing the same thing all to the same chuck! I sent off for some bumper-bits today which I will fit as soon as they come! poor Bubble is starting to look like a battery chook. I will let you know how I get on! Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Hi I used the bumper bits and I found that her beak over grew so Ive taken it off her and am hoping that she wears it down a I would rarther not have it cliped! you can actually see a fant line where the beak should end! Hi Emma That is really useful. Can I ask a couple of questions please? Did you put the bit on yourself? did it need special equipment or is it fairly easy to fit? Was it easy to get off? As regards trimming the beak - I used to trim my dogs nails, would it not be pretty similar? If you kept nibbling it back to the faint line you can see, do you think it would be OK? Did you put the bit on yourself? Yes I put it on myself to the disgust of cocky my hen. lol Its harder to put on yourself if your on your own and you do need to hold then really tight! I wraped her in a towel as I was on my own! I also put her snugly on my lap on her back! it took 7 attempts but if you have help from someone then it shuldnt take that many attepts. did it need special equipment or is it fairly easy to fit Once you have it in positition it just pops into the hens nostrels!. Was it easy to get off? yes it was easy to take off! you will need two ppl as you will need two hands to take it out! one person holds the hes under arm so that it cant flap and wriggly away!! the other needs to pinch each side of the bumper bit and pull outwards away from the hens beak! Hope that helped! I kept it on for probibly two long due to her beak as you can see it will grow over! prob due to lack of wear as the black bumper bit gets in the way! Im gonna wait and see how it gose she may wear it down over time, its not effecting her feeding and drinking! Emma xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 I too had this problem of pecking feathers for fun and a bumper bit was the answer. We took it off after a few weeks but she soon went back to pulling them again, so the bit went back on. The beak did grow, as previously mentioned, but I took the bit off, laid her on her side in a towel on my lap, got some fine sandpaper on a block and gently filed it down. She was fine, didn't struggle and she was rather pleased with how she looked at the end I think. I shall keep the bit on and just take it off if/when the beak grows again and repeat the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 Ok, well I had Liz in solitary for three days in the hope that she would forget. I put her in with the others last night after dark. When I let them out this morning she started pulling feathers out of all and sundry. So I put her back by herself, and then the bits arrived in the post. So, she now sports a very trendy nose ring. Apart from the start, when all the others thought she had something tasty in her mouth and had to go and have a look and chase her trying to get hold of it, everything now seems to have settled down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
