Can salt stop pecking/cannibalism?

Has anyone ever used the treatment below to stop pecking?


The Wisconsin Experiment Station developed a "salt cure" in 1942 that is supposed to be 99% effective. For a single morning, replace the birds' usual water with water that has one tablespoon of salt added per gallon. Replace the salt water with fresh water in the afternoon. Repeat three days later.

Quote:
It's an intriguing idea. Lots of people here ask for help with pecking problems. I don't think large amounts of salt are good for chickens, but this doesn't seem excessive. If pecking is a big problem, I think this might be worth a try.

Hopefully someone else here will have a more definative answer

Imp

Here's another article about the use of salt for stopping cannibalism in chickens.


http://www.une.edu.au/news/releases2003/July/095-03.html

I suppose that might be useful as a last resort, say, just before debeaking. But if there is a problem, I would try to fix the conditions that cause pecking in the first place, as clearly there is something wrong. Overcrowding, lack of run space, protein or other deficiencies, boredom, improper introductions, are the main causes. Sometimes there is just a chicken that is a bad character.

Quote:
Do you think there is the possibility that chickens like the taste of salt or could have a slight salt deficiency? Blood is salty, isn't it?

My grand mother had several "cures" and salt in the water was one of'em.

Another was to hang a red rag in the brooder.

I doubt that they have a salt deficiency--excess salt is very bad for them. In the article, it says it makes them more "sedate", and affects their metabolism, which I don't think are necessarily good.

My hens have what I consider a decent life. I have fewer hens in my coop and run than the space suggestions of 4 square feet indoors/ 10 square feet outdoors per hen. We have water and food set up indoors, and water outdoors, which we change often. We feed layer feed, but in an attempt to decrease pecking, we mix it with game bird to increase protein intake. We also give them treats of BOSS, spinach, other greens, scrambled eggs, nonfat organic yogurt, etc. They often have a flock block to peck at, and various perches, a ladder and a sandbox to play in. Yet we have constant pecking. It's so frustrating. Some of the birds are completely stripped of feathers on their tummies and their backs are bare, as well. I don't see any mites on anyone. On a slow day we get four or five eggs out of nine birds, on a good day we get nine out of nine. I've ordered pinless peepers from Randall Burkey, and expect them tomorrow, and just put our first apron on our buff orpington today. She doesn't like it much, but we will see. I've also taken the one I believe to be the worst offender and put her in exile in the tractor. I do not want to debeak any of them. I'm going to research this salt solution, and see if it makes any sense. The other solution is to cull everyone except Dora, as she never pecks anyone, and start from scratch. I'm not above having home-grown chicken for dinner, but want to solve this situation if I can. Any suggestions are welcome.

Dorasmom--feathers missing from the tummy is usually a result of broody behavior, and feathers missing from the back (towards the tail) often results from rooster mating. Is it possible that your closet rooster is going after some of them when you are not looking? That might explain some of the missing feathers. But if they are going at each other in front of you and pulling feathers, then you have to do what you can. Sounds like you are working hard at solving the problem! Were these chickens all raised together?