Pick no more

Date sort Score sort
Lisa Wood

Lisa Wood

Songster
7 Years
Mar 6, 2016
528
164
197
AIKEN, South Carolina
I have ten young chicks, they will be one year in May. One was an accidental rooster, as they were all supposed to be female. He bred the lower chicks in the flock so much, he ripped out feathers under the wings. I saw it, and didnt catch it. I saw white feathers starting to show and thought my red chick was growing white feathers!? Now I know.
So the rooster is seperated, but now the head hen catches them and pulls out on top of where he already denuded.
My question is, I have some "Pick No More" which I hear is great and effective because they hate the odor. So if the bully hen hates it, what happens to the hen on whom I administer it? How do they stand the smell? What about preening? How long does this stuff stink, and how long do I have to use it?
I am bringing the bully in the house for a few days, and when shes returned, I will either use the pick no more, or saddles.
 
I don't know if they are the same ingredients but there is also Blu-Kote. which of course is blue, and that covers up any bald spots of wounds. I don't know if chickens even have a sense of smell. But I know they have a sense of taste. It may be a good idea to keep the Bully inside for a few days, then when she rejoins the flock, the pecking order may have changed and she'll be lower down.

For bad pickers there is also something called "pinless peepers." - put that in the search box to check out the info. It keeps birds from seeing straight ahead, so their aim is off, and I would suppose they are aggravated enough about wearing them - that they forget to feather pick.
 
Thanks for the ideas! I am pretty sure they smell cause God gave them nostrils. I KNOW my Gofin Vocjatoo smells, because he screams when he likes what I cook.
I used Blue more with horses. It's an antiseptic wound spray, so I'm pretty sure the color is a bonus when treating wounds. Mine have not yet become wounded, they just look like chickens in the store on the back. I'm trying to save remaining feathers and nrw growth, break the bully's habit, and keep her from teaching the other little monsters to do it
I have an inside crate all set up, so she'll room inside for few days.
My coop I believe has four square feet per chick, and run is something like 70 by 20. They do not free range because I'm afraid. Hawks hunt overy land all day long. My husband is planning on a tractor, and I can get him to expand coop if needed.
The bully is so quick it's crazy when I look I'm her eyes. I'm gonna get a swing and check other toys.Maybe a chess set will keep her busy, if she can get another chick to play. They have now a bale of hay and cabbage tetherball that they play nonstop.
 
First of all, just because chickens have holes in their beaks resembling "nostrils" doesn't mean they can smell things like we do. For that matter, with our tiny noses, we don't smell anywhere nearly as well as animals with large noses such as dogs and bears. How about elephants? Wow! They smell things that don't even exist yet. (Just kidding.)

The Pick-no-mor relies on bad taste to work, and it doesn't work all that great, from my own experience. Then you have the mess that lasts forever on their feathers.

Blu-kote, though not bad smelling, works just as well because it disguises the raw skin exposed by missing feathers. I use it and ignore the jar of Pick-no-mor. Chickens are attracted to the raw skin and then especially to the blood-rich pin feathers that begin to grow in. Keep applying the Blu-kote on the exposed skin until the re-growth covers it.
 
drumstick diva said:
<snip!>
For bad pickers there is also something called "pinless peepers." - put that in the search box to check out the info. It keeps birds from seeing straight ahead, so their aim is off, and I would suppose they are aggravated enough about wearing them - that they forget to feather pick.
Click to expand...
Um, silly question, maybe, but how do they peck for their food?
 
I've found blue kote to often attract as much pecking attention as a bloody wound...and often the bird it is applied to preens it off.

Best here to separate the pecker or the peckee....but most importantly find out WHY this is happening and correct it.
Crowding and diet are the first things to look at....a flock may try drum out/try to kill an ailing flock member.
 
aart said:
I've found blue kote to often attract as much pecking attention as a bloody wound...and often the bird it is applied to preens it off.

Best here to separate the pecker or the peckee....but most importantly find out WHY this is happening and correct it.
Crowding and diet are the first things to look at....a flock may try drum out/try to kill an ailing flock member.
Click to expand...


She is separated for a couple days. That's the thing. The lead Hen didn't start it. The Rooster displaced and tore feathers out with his claws. Then remove him, and she starts plucking the others where feathers already injured. I guess I'm trying to say no one previously picked. It's like a follow thru idea. lida
 
azygous said:
First of all, just because chickens have holes in their beaks resembling "nostrils" doesn't mean they can smell things like we do. For that matter, with our tiny noses, we don't smell anywhere nearly as well as animals with large noses such as dogs and bears. How about elephants? Wow! They smell things that don't even exist yet. (Just kidding.)

The Pick-no-mor relies on bad taste to work, and it doesn't work all that great, from my own experience. Then you have the mess that lasts forever on their feathers.

Blu-kote, though not bad smelling, works just as well because it disguises the raw skin exposed by missing feathers. I use it and ignore the jar of Pick-no-mor. Chickens are attracted to the raw skin and then especially to the blood-rich pin feathers that begin to grow in. Keep applying the Blu-kote on the exposed skin until the re-growth covers it.
Click to expand...


I'm sorry I can't resist. So if the holes on the front of the beaks are not nostrils, what are they? Are they where you put a coin or jelly beans?
 

Similar threads

A
Can I separate one rooster?
Replies
2
Views
331
Ridgerunner
Ridgerunner
P
Rooster vs geese
Replies
7
Views
432
aart
aart
F
Helping out a bullied hen
Replies
3
Views
1K
Lacy Duckwing
Lacy Duckwing
KloekieKapokkie
Introducing new chickens to lonely rooster,
Replies
2
Views
181
KloekieKapokkie
KloekieKapokkie
K
    • Like
In pursuit of Mr. Right
2 3
Replies
21
Views
1K
Double Yolked
Double Yolked

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom