- Thread starter
- #11
- Aug 26, 2012
- 26
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Well, I am reposting here to let everyone know i solved the mystery of the missing crown.
The crown was halfway to its original size on Monday and while spending some time with my lovely peahens I realised how they did it the first time.
1. They did not peck it off each other (her sister never pecks at her face or any other part of the body except the beak sometimes)
2. They did not fall off (they were still growing - about 50% into their full size)
While walking around the shed she stopped, raised her huge claw and scratched her head so hard that she cut through all the feathers in the crown.It only took 3-5 seconds of scratching for them to all fall off. She has lost her crown yet again. I looked closely and noticed that on the head they still have baby feathers - very fluffy white ones not the colorful ones that started growing so I am guessing they itch? Then they started "tasting" the feathers that fell. I had to stop them and pick them up so they don't eat them all.
I have checked them for parasites but could not see any (i know they take the color of the feathers or skin of the bird they sit on ).
So yes, I hope this can help you guys in the future - mine does it to herself not sibling rivalry or anything else. I just take them in my greenhouse in the hope that they will blunt their large claws in the dust and sand there and until spring comes the crown will be back.
The crown was halfway to its original size on Monday and while spending some time with my lovely peahens I realised how they did it the first time.
1. They did not peck it off each other (her sister never pecks at her face or any other part of the body except the beak sometimes)
2. They did not fall off (they were still growing - about 50% into their full size)
While walking around the shed she stopped, raised her huge claw and scratched her head so hard that she cut through all the feathers in the crown.It only took 3-5 seconds of scratching for them to all fall off. She has lost her crown yet again. I looked closely and noticed that on the head they still have baby feathers - very fluffy white ones not the colorful ones that started growing so I am guessing they itch? Then they started "tasting" the feathers that fell. I had to stop them and pick them up so they don't eat them all.
I have checked them for parasites but could not see any (i know they take the color of the feathers or skin of the bird they sit on ).
So yes, I hope this can help you guys in the future - mine does it to herself not sibling rivalry or anything else. I just take them in my greenhouse in the hope that they will blunt their large claws in the dust and sand there and until spring comes the crown will be back.
