feather munching Whitestar

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valeriebutterley

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Not a new topic, but I need help or advice, please.
This lovely has munched her way through the feathers of a cuckoo Pekin and a Bluebell.
Needless to say I have tried everything suggested, from spray to neat tuna to pecky thingies hanging up, cannot believe how the tuna vanished or the cries and shrieks of envy from everyone feathered nearby.
I have now separated her to a small house by herself, where she seems fine, chuntering and pecking away at her bedding, and even that trauma did not interrupt her egg flow, daily, large, white.
The obvious is to get rid of her, but she is much loved, and sweet natured and seems alright by herself.
Will she be alright by herself?, when they are out roaming she is ooccupied and not feather munching.
She actually nearly did kill the Pekin, who got exhausted and terrified, and bloody, and had to be nursed back to health by a fortnight in the utility room. Bluebell does not turn a feather when she is being munched - just lets Summer get on with it, but she has also suffered drawn blood. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
 
As mentioned before, there's many things which can cause a bird to do this, including,
A nasty, hard to break habit,
boredom,
Lack of certain vitamins and minerals, calcium in particular.
Canabalisim isn't a good thing especially when the perpatrator makes the victims bleed doing it! Eating the odd loose or lost feather is quite normal, but this sounds a bit extreme.
Without sounding too unkind, i know alot of breeders who would cull. But i understand not everyone wants to do that. All i can suggest is separate her, and try her on a slightly higher protein/calcium feed for a few weeks. And see if that cures her, but she wouldn't be happy if left alone perminantly as chickens are a flock animal. The alternative is entirely your decision.

JubesXX
 
As Jubes mentioned, boredom is a major culprit as can be lack of space for the birds which has not been mentioned. It may be a territorial thing. Can you separate the pecker, let the feathers grow back on the others make sure you have the right amount of space for them all(including in the coop). maybe feed a mash to keep them busy and put some pecks up. Have you seen her do the pecking? if so can you explain to me the situation that she's doing it and her behaviour with the birds a bit? Thanks
 
Thanks for your input.
She has a lovely nature, and acknowledges me as boss.
She is in a coop made for 4 + LF, there were just her and Bluebell and two bantams and a very tiny hybrid.
I have never come across this behaviour before, could it possibly be something to do with colour? Bluebell and the cuckoo are similar colour. She just munches on Bluebell's back and Bluebell lets her.
What would suggest as extras to feed her? fine grit, cuttlefish?. They are fed on layers meal. She has never attempted to munch the very soft feathered little hybrid.
 
You've done right to separate her if blood has been drawn. Sometimes the blood comes from the quills of new feathers and sometimes it comes from a flesh wound where the bird has been attacked.
I've never found any additve which will cure it and I spray with Net Tex anti peck spray, applying it every couple of days. You either have to take the victim away or the attacker as you have done. When the wound has dried, you can try them in together again and in most cases, the spray will deter any further attacks.
Usually comes from boredom in a confined area, then they get a taste for it.
Purple spray will not deter them and sometimes it can make it worse (seems to attract them).
Much as I hate to admit it of my favourite breed, I've found the White Leghorns (which is what your White Star is) are only surpassed by the Black Hamburghs for carrying out attacks like this.
 
Chuck thanks for your input,
yesterday in the garden out and free and having a great foraging time, she suddenly, before I could stop her, grabbed beakfuls of both the Pekin and Bluebell totally unprevoked and like lightning. Just the four of them were out getting used to each other again, tiny hybrid not attacked.
Will she be alright in the future by herself, if she is caged near others, I feel it is not fair on the others to be constantly got at.
I see from the forum feather pecking is very common, but yesterday, she left the feathers everywhere, and I have not had it happen before in nearly 3 years of chicken keeping.
Is it particularly common in Leghorns?
 
We have brown Leghorn bantams and have no problems. We had Copper Stars- one ate the cockerel's comb, the other laid eggs and ate them immediately. Both went.

I don't like using anti-peck spray as the victims suffer far more. They can't preen. We usually separate the offender rather than spray all the victims. But our last was separated 3 months and started again immediately. So I'm sorry to say I don't think you have many options left.
 
Aileen said:
Do you want me to post you a couple of my beak bits? See if you can break her habit??
Click to expand...

Did the beak bits work on your bully hen, Aileen? You were about to try them in your last post but we never heard how you got on.
 
Yes, Yes and Yes!!! She is still wearing it but it fell out yesterday (after 4-5 days) and as much as she is still SUPER grumpy the aggression has died down loads, I have however been feeding her seperately and before the others so I am not sure whether it has been a case of her fending off what she saw as food, so now not only is she Grumpy she's Greedy too......
Add Droopy to the equation and we could almost start the 7 dwarfs again in my back garden LOL x
 
Aileen,
very kind of you, will certainly try the bits, anything is worth a try, I really don't want to get rid of her.
Her eggs are quite massive and daily, in her favour. I am not sure how to post my address for you, can you guide me, please?
Thanks, again, Valerie.
 
If you click on Aileen's username above her previous post, her profile page will appear, with an option to send her a private message. Click on this and you can send her your address privately, with your personal message. she will get an e-mail saying you have contacted her, and she can log in to her User Control Panel to read it.
 
valeriebutterley said:
I see from the forum feather pecking is very common, but yesterday, she left the feathers everywhere, and I have not had it happen before in nearly 3 years of chicken keeping.
Is it particularly common in Leghorns?
Click to expand...

Sounds more like an attack rather than just feather pecking. Attacks like this are not common with any breed, they just seem to occur. Usually occurs with my Whites when they are growing up in a mixed bunch but I wouldn't label any particular breed with any particular problem.
It's OK to keep her seperate in view of the others if you have to but the bits should work. They can still stab with the bits in but can't grip feathers as the upper and lower beaks are kept slightly apart. Having the bit in will probably distract her as she will need to adjust to eating with it in. Worth trying everything for such a good layer.
 
I know a lot of people don't like the bits, but after trying everything (vitamins, cat food, anit peck sprays, stockholme tar, purple spray, you name it I tried it over the span of 18 months) in the end I put bits on all 3 chickens, it was either that or get rid of them, I now have lovely feathered chickens the first time in 18 months, there is also something called bumper bits which stop them from stabbing each other and breaking eggs, good luck and let us know how you get on
 
Interesting post Mazbaz. Are you very conscious of the bits being in situ or do you get so used to them you don't notice.
 
Chuck you do get used to them, but I have taken one off and within the next couple of weeks will take the other 2 off to see if the habit is broken, if not then they will have to go back on, they do seem happier not being pecked all the time
 
I think a lot of us would like to know what happens when you take them all out.
 
Update on chicken bits, in January took the other 2 chickens bits off, within a week the Sussex started pecking again so back on it went, the other was fine, about 5 weeks ago took the Sussex bit off and fingures crossed I still have lovely feathered chickens, so after everything that I tried in the past, the chicken bits seem to have stopped the habit
 
Thanks for the feedback. Good to know there is a solution even if it's an end of the line one.
 
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