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feather pecking

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Try hanging up cabbage leaves/peckablocks or anything to distract them.

 

If its the odd feather it isnt a problem, but it can become a habit and then the peckee will end up suffering. Eventually drawing blood and thats the last thing you need.

 

A bumper bit (see here ) will stop the problem, but it can be fiddly to fit.

 

You could always try the water pistol approach and squirt the 'pecker' every time she does it?

 

All the best

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I just had to recently get rid of two hens who feather plucked to the extreme!! This-I'm assured was very rare so I doubt that yours would get that bad at all.

There are various sprays you can use which will make the feathers taste awful and may deter feather plucking.

 

If you look on the bit about bumper bits that Christian posted and you decide that you want to try one-let me know as I have some spare.

 

There are also anti-peck rings which are easier to fit but maybe not as effective although others may disagree.

 

Good luck and I hope you manage to sort the problem.

Hanging greens and things up does keep them busy and also throwing in a whole white cabbage keeps them amused for quite a while.

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We had a similar experience with ours and it got rather nasty.

 

We fitted a bumper bit to the the main aggressor 'Splodge' top hen. Once she was disarmed it moved down a peg and second in line took over, so we muzzled her too, and then the rest of the girls got their own back for being bullied all this time, as you would!

 

It wasn't until we muzzled all six and put things back on a relatively level playing field that things calmed back down. Even after they were all muzzled the pecking didn't stop for a couple of weeks.

 

I reckon top chook developed a bad habit due to whatever reason, and by stopping her doing it we upset the pecking order and all hell broke loose, blood snot and feathers followed by bathing sessions in tea tree oil in the emergency room. ( kitchen sink)

 

So if you fit bumpers I recommend fitting them to all the chooks or you may find the hens at the bottom of the order fancying their chances of a takeover bid.

 

If your chook is actually eating the feathers she plucks then it may be a dietry problem she has. I can't remember what is lacking ( I did read up on it and opinion is very much divided even amongst scientist types) but a lack of protein rings a bell with feather eaters.

 

Kev.

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There are plenty of articles in 'tinterweb which suggest feather pecking is related to a lack of methionine in the diet.

 

Feathers contain methionine and this is why a deficient bird will peck at other birds feathers, as they crave what they are missing in their diet.

 

Methionine is present in spinach, so you could try giving them some to peck at.

 

Maybe you could check that it is present in whichever pellets you are feeding them with.

 

Perhaps if you hold back on the treats for a while, so that they eat mostly pellets it might help to correct any deficiencies in their diet.

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Feather pecking come's through , something lacking in their diet

OR bad habbits through bordom usualy

OR bugs , ie louse , red mites

OR sometimes when they start growing new feathers the blood in the feater attracks the bird and they peck at it .

 

It takes time to suss " why your perticular birds are pecking , but that's my experiances .

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Bumpa bits - nose rings - worked for me.

 

well not for me personally, but for Liz my Maran who feather pecked and ate the feathers. I didnt' find them hard to fit at all and Liz didn't even notice it really!

They cost about 10p each and you can get them online from The domestic Fowl Trust

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Bumpa bits - nose rings - worked for me.

 

well not for me personally, but for Liz my Maran who feather pecked and ate the feathers. I didnt' find them hard to fit at all and Liz didn't even notice it really!

They cost about 10p each and you can get them online from The domestic Fowl Trust

 

You would look good with a nose ring Richard. :lol:

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Bumpa bits - nose rings - worked for me.

 

well not for me personally, but for Liz my Maran who feather pecked and ate the feathers. I didnt' find them hard to fit at all and Liz didn't even notice it really!

They cost about 10p each and you can get them online from The domestic Fowl Trust

 

You would look good with a nose ring Richard. :lol:

 

And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? :wink:

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Bumpa bits - nose rings - worked for me.

 

well not for me personally, but for Liz my Maran who feather pecked and ate the feathers. I didnt' find them hard to fit at all and Liz didn't even notice it really!

They cost about 10p each and you can get them online from The domestic Fowl Trust

 

You would look good with a nose ring Richard. :lol:

 

And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? :wink:

 

Nose rings and Crocs. :lol:

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And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? :wink:

 

Nose rings and Crocs. :lol:

 

Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ...

 

Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? :lol:

 

(As a new student nurse I couldn't find a pair of brown lace ups, so bought a red pair and used brown shoe polish on them. I can still hear the scottish Matron's voice echoing round the ward: "Nurrrrse! WHAT colour are your shoes?" I think red must have been more attractive to bacteria or something :roll: )

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[Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ...

 

Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? :lol:

 

 

I hope you are talking about dress codes rather than infection control policies!

 

I gather there is a new code for Consultants that involved no ties and short sleeved shirts.

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[Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ...

 

Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? :lol:

 

 

I hope you are talking about dress codes rather than infection control policies!

 

I gather there is a new code for Consultants that involved no ties and short sleeved shirts.

 

when i broke my arm, my orthopedic consultant wore a bow tie- I love it when consultants wear bow ties, so.......James Robertson Justice! Love it :)

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