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De-beaking

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This might sound like a very odd question but....................would a vet de-beak a hen under a general anaesthetic?

 

Of course I do not agree with chicks/hens being de-beaked but in serious cases where the life of other hens is possibly at risk due to feather pecking and attempted cannibalism-would it work?

 

I have no idea what to do-I hate the thought of getting rid of Ria but also cannot watch her trying to eat my other girls.

 

Please see chicken clinic post- http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16401

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If you separate her for a good while she may be bottom of the pile when she goes back in and may not continue with the pecking. She may forget about it too.

 

Provide her with a distraction such as mealworms or corn hidden in the Aubiose or whatever you have in the run and hang a cabbage up for her to peck at instead.

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One of mine is debeaked (nothing to do with me I hasten to add) and it doesn't seem to bother her. But if I were you, Ria would go. Maybe someone on here with a good solid pecking order or lots of free range room could take her and you could get yourself a hen more suited to living as a threesome.

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Hi Jay

I have just caught up with all your troubles, sorry to hear that Ria is being such a bully :(

Do you still have your eglu run? could you block up the ends and keep Ria in there during the day.

What a difficult situation for you, and your new run looks like the most ideal place for three chooks to have alot of fun. Whatever you decide to do, it will be the right thing. Thinking of you x

Nicky

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Hi there, just to echo what Aunty E said, having read your other post I think you've tried just about everything. It's a horrible decision but is there a local farm or something who could take her where she'd just be one of loads and would have to fit in rather than being the thug she is?

 

Hope you manage to solve things soon, I really feel for you

 

Mrs Bertie

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The trouble with the thugs is that they can be the most fun to have around, because they have no fear of humans either, and interact so much more.... I find that they are also more intelligent, and possibly it is because they have the capacity to feel bored that they pick up bad habits.

 

That level of pecking is extreme, however, and I would be inclined to get rid of the one doing the pecking, unless you still adore her (in which case she really is very special to you). You have already tried the obvious remedies. You will only get more and more upset, and the situation is not going to get better.

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Thought that I had best mention on this thread that I have now solved the problem in probably the best way I can.

 

Not ideal as I would have preferred a remedy but you cannot always fix everything I suppose.

 

Thank you again to everybody-I appreciate it more than you will all ever know.

 

Also regarding the debeaking thing-after a bit of research-I would not have put her through that anyway. It causes face and head pain afterwards apparently so that ruled that option out.

 

Never mind, I just hope things are on their way up at long last!

 

 

xxx

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