xScrunchee Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Here we go again!!! It's one thing after another at the moment, or at least that's how it feels. Anyway, I am in need of a little advice before I end up going crazy!!!! (Well, even more crazy! ) I have three girls. Two of them have bumper bits fitted due to feather pulling and eating! You'd think that that would be the end to it wouldn't you? No-I'm afraid not!! Ria has only had her bumper bit on for a couple of weeks and the other day I could see Ria chasing the other two girls trying to grab at their knickers. I wasn't too bothered assuming that she wouldn't have any luck because of the bumper bit. Mmmm, yesterday I noticed that Bobbie and Rose have almost bald bums. How on earth is she doing this being that her bumper bit is fitted properly and has only been on a couple of weeks?? I was going to take the bumper bit off and replace it in case it was just that bumper bit but yesterday I noticed that it looks like she has a sort of groove in her beak enabling her to close her beak properly with the bumper bit on so surely even if I swap it for a new one-the new one would still sit in the groove in her beak!! Someone help pleeeease!!! More to the point-why on earth is she doing this in the first place? I thought that I was unlucky having one feather pulling hen-I now have two and one of them is very determined!!!!!! This is all driving me mad now-I only want my girls to be happy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Hi my girls beacks grew over the bumper bit. hers did in the end sort itself out once it was taken out. have you tried an anti pecking spray??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Have just mentioned Tea Tree elsewhere , but they are supposed to hate the taste, so why not spray the bald botties with a solution. It will soothe and make any new feathers taste horrible.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Have you tried an anti-pecking ring? I think these are a slightly different design so might be worth a try.......i could be wrong tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 We used anti-pecking rings on ours and they did more damage than they did without them because they sort of stabbed with their beaks instead of feather plucking which drew blood, so we seperated ours and then reintroduced them several days later whilst sitting by the run with a hose pipe which was aimed at the perpitrators. They eventually got the message and after having a sulk for a couple of weeks when they laid no eggs we now have harmony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millymeerkat Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 Could it be that the one who's got a bald bum is doing it to herself? My poor little Beryl started to pull her own feathers where the others had attacked her before we fitted bumper bits to them. We had to fit one to her too and it's stopped it. I think she was maybe doing it as sort of a nervous twitch type thing as she was so jittery and maybe it was a distraction... Hope the issue is sorted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 I have sprayed the other two girls with tea tree solution but Ria seemed rather interested in tasting the wet feathers! I know that it is Ria being a little madam as I have seen her doing it! All I can do is keep applying the tea tree oil solution and see how it goes. Really not sure what I am supposed to do to be honest. Nightmare!!! Love my girls though so will get to the bottom of it eventually! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Love my girls though so will get to the bottom of it eventually! Thought Ria had already done that herself so to speak I'm having the same here Jay - had to take Prada's BB off as her top beak had grown and she started pecking again. Now I'm spraying Gucci every day with tea tree oil and it does seem to be working - Prada had a go and then spent 10 minutes wiping her beak, maybe she'll get the message soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Sorry to hear this Jay! i had a similar problem with Babs when they all first arrived. I used a bumper bit and it worked for a while. Then it fell off and i didn't have a spare! I spent a few days picking Babs up whenever i could and giving her a cuddle. Problem solved! Hope it sorts itself out soon!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Thought Ria had already done that herself so to speak I'm having the same here Jay - had to take Prada's BB off as her top beak had grown and she started pecking again. Now I'm spraying Gucci every day with tea tree oil and it does seem to be working - Prada had a go and then spent 10 minutes wiping her beak, maybe she'll get the message soon Maybe we are just the lucky ones with our girls! How much tea tree oil to water are you using? I am worried that if I don't make the solution strong enough-it won't stop her yet I don't want to make it too strong neither! I have left her BB on at the mo because I figured that at the moment the worst she can do is pull feathers, if I take it off I am worried that she may be able to stab and draw blood!! Poor Rose has a big bald patch that is quite dark pink and looks a bit sore although there is no blood which is good I guess. @ getting to the bottom of it!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I've made the mix fairly strong - used about 20 drops and then an inch of water in a small spray bottle. (very exact i know ). It does seem to be working though - I spray Gucci when I let them out to free range and then again before bedtime. I havent seen Prada having a pull at her rear end for a couple of days although she is now having the occasional pull at Gucci's chest feathers where she has started to moult, Gucci seems quite happy to let her do this Chickens eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 LOL- Bless 'em!! Hopefully the tea tree will work as I don't like seeing my gorgeous fluffy girls looking like oven ready chickens!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 I'm at my wits ends with mine too - all 3 have got bare bottoms and have done for months now, though one especially is worse then the others. I don't see them pecking but i guess thats what it is. Vet was no help and told me to tell him if i found a solution... I tried anti peck rings - no help and caused a blister on one chooks skin by her beak, am currently attempting purple spray which doesnt seem to be having much effect either - so maybe will be teatree water next? If anyone finds a magic soloution let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 Well, I was doing a bit of reading as to why the girls are doing this because I was worried that I was doing something wrong or they were bored or something and I read that it can be genetic. I would hate to think that it is because they were missing something from their diet or they were so bored that they done it for entertainment. I think that I am going to assume that it is a genetic thing now because I have only had probs with my 2 pepperpots (my gingernut shows no signs of wanting to pluck the other two and they are all kept in the same environment, same food etc). It is more common in hybrids apparently and some breeders end up dispatching all of the hens who feather pluck to break the genetc cycle, so it seems that it is more than likely to be an inherited trait-sadly not a good one as it can lead to cannibalism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 , so it seems that it is more than likely to be an inherited trait-sadly not a good one as it can lead to cannibalism Cripes! So if I see Prada with a packet of Paxo I should start to worry then???? Seriously, it does seem odd as Gucci has never feather pulled Prada, so genetics could be the thing. How are you getting on with the tea tree spray? I didnt spray Gucci yesterday at all and Prada wasnt that interested in pecking her except the bit down the front of her neck where she is moulting but as Gucci doesnt seem to care and doesnt stop her I'm not so worried. Would love to know what's going on in their chickeny minds though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 I have been using the tea tree oil spray for a couple of days now and so far (fingers crossed) it seems to be helping, so-gooner girl, I would give it a go. It does seem strange how some hens do it and others don't bother-even when kept in exactly the same conditions so I am now quite sure that this is a genetic thing. (I like to know the 'reasons' for things ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skye Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Laura&CTB wrote, Would love to know what's going on in their chickeny minds though. May I hazard a guess at what's going on in their chickeny minds for approx 23hrs and 59 mins per day?! 'Food, FOOD, FOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDD!, oh look more food, oh yummy food, I like food I do' etc etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Hmmmm - you could be right there Skye In that case the other one minute must be " Oh look! A feather to pull out! I wonder if it tastes nice" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 29, 2007 Author Share Posted September 29, 2007 Well, I have been tea tree oil spraying the girls every day but yesterday I noticed that the bald areas on Bobbie and Rose are even worse. Rose's skin looks quite pink and sore. Bobbie's looks ok-just bald. Most of the feathers have been plucked but some have just been snapped or stripped. I know that this isn't as bad as when Bobbie was pecking holes in the backs of the other two (which stopped as soon as a bumper bit was fitted) but it's still not exactly great!! I'm sure that the girls need their knickers to help keep them warm during the coming months and I worry that Ria is going to end up causing serious harm. I hang up treats every day, spray the tea tree oil, she wears a bumper bit-I have no room to seperate her so what now?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 I've been reading up on it and opinions are divided to say the least. Some say the cause is genetic and others that it is dietary. If it is dietary, suggestions include everything you have done so far, plus increasing the absorbable calcium in the diet - this has a calming effect apparently too - and increasing the protein. Calcivet is a recommended product. It is a liquid that you add to the drinking water. To increase the protein intake, give them cat food or tuna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 When Babs was pecking Laverne badly, I fitted a BB and gave extra protein (tuna) and calcium (crushed egg shell) mixed in with their pellet porridge. My vet recommended adding vit D to the porridge too as that helps the hens absorb more calcium. I bought some cod liver oil tablets and put a couple of drops into the bowl with the porridge. Lots and lots of cuddles for Babs and she has stopped pecking! Laverne's feather have only just started to grow back. She has had a bald patch at the base of her tail since last summer, but now she is moulting, the feathers are growing back, finally! I know it is distressing, but hopefully Ria will stop! All the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 29, 2007 Author Share Posted September 29, 2007 Thank you everyone for trying to help me out with this-I really do appreciate it so much. I have no idea what I am supposed to be doing next. Rose has now got a completely bald leg!! I have spent ages today double checking that they haven't got lice or anything-why I checked I have no idea because I know that it is Ria. They always have oyster shell and I have been giving them tuna a couple of times a week. Apart from the normal garlic powder on their pellets I am now also adding poultry spice and citricidal to their water. They get fresh greens every day (well, almost every day), I hang stuff up for them to peck at, I have even hung a parrot seed stick up hoping that this would help but alas. I will try the codliver oil-how much do I give them? I will make this my last post about it now though as I really don't want to get on everyone's nerves. If the cod liver oil and Calcivet (when I get some) doesn't stop her I have no idea what I am going to do. Her egg shells are always lovely and hard btw. Sorry to moan on and on-I just feel like this is turning into a nightmare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 I will make this my last post about it now though as I really don't want to get on everyone's nerves. I Sorry to moan on and on-I just feel like this is turning into a nightmare! You are not getting on anyones nerves.....honestly. That is what the forum is for....to share experience and help one another out. Keep us up to date with progress won't you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 I totally echo what Egluntine has said! You are here for support and that is what you will get I used the capsules (you knwo the jelly ones) and pierced them with a pin. Just a few drops per bowl of pellet mash (probably 10 tea spoons of pellets to 3 drops of oil, mixed with warm water) I really do not know what to suggest, but I know how you are feeling. I have been through it twice before. Luckily she grew out of it. Thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 ITS THE TUNA!!!! I told you all it was no good. Its horrible stuff, you can't give it to the chickens. ARRRgghhhhhhh No seriously though. Liz has a bumpa bit and just like all the others say, the beak has just accomodated it and grown round it. so I don't really have anything to offer I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
