- Thread starter
- #11
ChickieChickieMama
Songster
Mystery solved...with a very surprising twist ending!!!
I watched them all today and witnessed none other than her best friend, my weird little Salmon Faverolles Vera, tug at her feathers there....three separate times. What's interesting though, is that she wasn't doing it in an aggressive way but actually just the opposite. Vera is a shy girl and she adores Mischka who is sweet like her but a lot more brave. Vera was acting like a shy child, tugging at her Mommy's skirt and hiding behind her! Every time Vera tugged on Mischka's feathers, Mischka took care of her friend either by tucking her in under a wing of by letting her take her spot at the feed can. It was really quite precious, if only it hadn't done such damages to poor Mischka's feathers!
So knowing this, what would you recommend? My thought is to let Mischka wear an apron for awhile, and hopefully not only will it allow her to regrow her feathers undisturbed but it may also discourage Vera from tugging on them. I've read also about using Vicks or some other natural repellent on Mischka so I could try that too but I think an apron would help her regrow in peace.
I'm not sure what I can do to change Vera's behaviour....she's a little sweetheart and no one is picking on her so she has no real reason to be shy but it just seems to be her nature and her bestie Mischka has been good at getting her to be a little more adventurous out in the run as they grow up together. I'd hate to separate them unless you think it's really necessary? I don't want to stress either of them out any more.
Maybe it was just the mite outbreak that made Vera a little extra nervous? I was thinking she was finally coming out of her shell (as it were.)
I'm open to suggestions, and thanks everyone for all of your ideas and recommendations so far!!!
I watched them all today and witnessed none other than her best friend, my weird little Salmon Faverolles Vera, tug at her feathers there....three separate times. What's interesting though, is that she wasn't doing it in an aggressive way but actually just the opposite. Vera is a shy girl and she adores Mischka who is sweet like her but a lot more brave. Vera was acting like a shy child, tugging at her Mommy's skirt and hiding behind her! Every time Vera tugged on Mischka's feathers, Mischka took care of her friend either by tucking her in under a wing of by letting her take her spot at the feed can. It was really quite precious, if only it hadn't done such damages to poor Mischka's feathers!
So knowing this, what would you recommend? My thought is to let Mischka wear an apron for awhile, and hopefully not only will it allow her to regrow her feathers undisturbed but it may also discourage Vera from tugging on them. I've read also about using Vicks or some other natural repellent on Mischka so I could try that too but I think an apron would help her regrow in peace.
I'm not sure what I can do to change Vera's behaviour....she's a little sweetheart and no one is picking on her so she has no real reason to be shy but it just seems to be her nature and her bestie Mischka has been good at getting her to be a little more adventurous out in the run as they grow up together. I'd hate to separate them unless you think it's really necessary? I don't want to stress either of them out any more.
Maybe it was just the mite outbreak that made Vera a little extra nervous? I was thinking she was finally coming out of her shell (as it were.)
I'm open to suggestions, and thanks everyone for all of your ideas and recommendations so far!!!
