Best topical solution to stop pecking?

[nipper75]

I noticed that my favorite girl, Fern, a dominique, has had some feathers pecked from her head. I immediately put vaseline on the area. I can't figure out the cause. I have only 6 chickens, all 7 months old, they have a nice coop/run, plenty of food and water. Today I put up litttle curtains on the nesting boxes.

Is there something I can use until I can get my hands on either blue kote or rooster booster? Thaks... I am so worried about my sweet girl..

 

[boogiedog]

Ditto on the pinless peepers. I have a happy flock of fully-feathered ladies now.

 

[EmmyGirl]

I've had good luck with the Blue Kote on bums--I don't know if it's the taste they don't like or the fact that the bright royal blue color hides the red skin which is like a beacon saying "peck here". For the head, I'd try Preparation H. I read in one of the posts a while back that they don't like the taste of it and may act as a deterrent. Good luck!

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
For how long?

 

[7L Farm]

I have a flock that have been pecking each other forever. It's now more like a habit. I've bought & tried every gimmick in the world & nothing has worked. I even have one that is isolated because they literary pecked her clean she has no tail feathers & looks terrible. They still lay eggs they just look bad. Chickens do go cannibalistic. I wouldn't waste my money on all that junk. I spent at least a hundred bucks on peepers, blu-kote, rooster booster, pine tar, Vick's vapor rub I could go on.
My theory now is I'm gonna isolate them one at a time let the feathers grow back & then isolate another one & so on. I have no clue how to solve the problem & honestly no one else does either.
The only way to solve the problem is to debeak the birds. I will not do this because mine free range & I don't see how they could catch bugs without a beak plus it seems cruel.
One thing that has helped some is the saddles but the only problem is they start pecking in other areas. I hate it but I don't want to kill the flock. In reality its probably the only thing that will cure this habit they have acquired.
Everyone will say its protein BLA BLA. I disagree its a bad habit.

 

[ChicknThief]

Quote:
For how long?

Permanently. No animal that is to be used for human consumption should be treated with Blu Kote.