bantams feather plucking..

[Anonymous]

:roll: Hello Chicken folk, I am newish to this chicken keeping but i have 3 girl bantams (margo, barbara and patsy) anyway i had to keep them inside their run for 4 days while we had some work done on the garden. Shock! they are now plucking their feathers out of their feet - does anyone know if this was beacuse they were bored or have i done something wrong? i have today ordered from flytesofancy some feather plucking spray stuff to stop them hopefully from doing this unless someone knows something else...can any one help as i love them to bits and would hate for them to be upset - they are spoilt little princesses. Thank you for reading me.

 

[Tim]

Vices like feather plucking usually manifest when they are bored. They are used to coming out I guess and have decided to find something else to do!

The feather plucking stuff is normally a bad taste to stop bullying - so it puts them off continually pecking another hen - I see no reason why it won't help to break this habbit - but ultimately, you need to fix the boredom - letting them out again to scratch around would do this of course...

One other thing that it could be - if they are moulting then they could be short of protein. The first thing the body does is stop egg production to protect the body (feathers are 80% protein) - but not always. They will sometimes pluck and eat feathers to get extra protein. If this is the case a little dried cat food moisened will give them some extra animal protein that they need (not dog food as the protein is cereal based).

Good luck and do let us know how they get on.

 

[Anonymous]

I am having the same problem with my girls. I am sure it isn't bordom as they are freerange in my garden. I brought some gentain violet spray, but it also dyes the girls purple. They are still producing an egg a day each.

Suggestions welcome

Laura

 

[kelloggs]

I have the same problem and I know who the terror is.................had the same problem two years ago with her at exactly the same time of the year. I don't think its a boredom thing and having tried everything I could, extra protein, vitamins to no use.

I think at this time of the year shes the cockerels favourite and she likes to show it, the cockerel is always the first to suffer and he will stand there and let her peck his feathers from the whole of his neck, she will then turn to the girls and they just let her do it.

So now I use ukadex anti peck spray, I may have brown birds who stink like hell but at least they have their feathers growing back. Trouble is nobody wants to come near me when I've finished spraying the birds mind you I cannot blame them it makes you feel ill.

 

[Tim]

Hmm I know what you mean. I had an Orington boy who stood there letting the hens peck at his hackle feathers almost 'affectionately' from time to time....

I'm not really sure what the answer is - although it is a bad habit.

You might try separating the hen for a while to break the habit and re-introducing her later on?

Not sure, sorry I don't have any other ideas at the moment..

 

[orpingtonsuk.com]

Hi all,
I have had the same problem with some of my orps this year, that i had in a smaller run than normal for a few weeks and it started the feather pecking. Ive never had this before as they usually have lovely large free range runs, but this habit started with the most active in the flock, and she continued for days plucking their feathers out. I took her away for 2 days and when i put her back she started again, so started with the pecking spray, and added protein in their diet in case of the protein and calcium. All in all, tried everything, looks like she has stopped the feather pecking habbit, but they all have bare bottoms and tummies now, so waiting to see some new feather growth. Can be a long job once it starts, but fingers crossed once you break the habbit, things should get back to normal. Here hoping anyway!!

 

[Tim]

I have been reading up about feather pecking / loss and this is a summary of what my books say:

There are a number of possibilities - lack of protein (diet), boredom in a small run, overcrowding, heat stress if around the tail area, or something as simple as pushing their heads through a fence to get grass.

If it is one bird pecking the others (usually the one with all her feathers), she should be removed until all of the others have regrown their feathers. (Easier said than done as it can take quite some time...)

Another option I found in one book - If there is one culprit, you can use 'bumper bits' on the beak - these allow the bird to eat and drink but they can't close their beak fully to pull out feathers.

Hope this helps.