The 3 D's Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 This maybe a sily question but im new to keeping chickens and one of my chickens is pecking the other 2 and eating the feathers she picks out. There is enough food so she cant be hungry. Is it normal. What do i need to do if anything? Matt Daisy Dotty Dory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 No such thing as a silly question in chickenland! You'll gets lots of advice any minute, I'm sure. (Can't help you, I'm afraid, luckily haven't had that problem.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenzin Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 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 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 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. And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 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. And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? Nose rings and Crocs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 [And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? Nose rings and Crocs. Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 And it would fit in with how the rest of the NHS staff dress these days wouldn't it? Nose rings and Crocs. Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ... Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? (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 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 [Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ... Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 [Now let me just dig out that dress code - not to mention the infection control policy ... Does anybody actually follow those any more Richard? 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Matt, How's it going with the feather plucking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 3 D's Posted December 1, 2007 Author Share Posted December 1, 2007 We are going to get some Tea Tree oil hopefullythat works, the pecking is not too bad but dont want it to get worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Or try 'BITTER BEAK' spray from Pets at Home. That worked for a while with mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Or try 'BITTER BEAK' spray from Pets at Home. That worked for a while with mine! we have some of this I dont think that I'm using it correctly cos they are still feather plucking maybe the strange little chooks just like the taste cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...