Butt Peckers - Venting about the problem!

[soonerdog]

Feather Pickers!

Ring their necks and put them in the soup pot. Start over.

 

[illinichick]

Dandelion, I feel your pain (in the butt). I also went through this a year ago, and like you and everyone else, I tried everything. I tried so many different things that when they did stop pecking, I had no idea what one made them stop!! I think I ended up losing 5-6 hens before they finally stopped. Hang in there.

 

[Reinbeau]

Vicks Vap-O-Rub worked well when they were little. It soothed as well as the scent put off the picking that was going on, even with a bloodied butt, they stopped picking on him once I covered his butt with it. I had to renew it a few times but eventually he grew a lovely tail. If I'd of left him alone in there I'm sure they would have killed him.

 

[Dandelion007]

The tractor grease and styrofoam seems to really help. However, a couple of hens refuse to reform. I have ordered chicken blinders for the real trouble makers (instigators). WOW! I just got the order delivered as I was typing. I ordered on Saturday and it made it here on Wednesday, the day before Christmas.

After I called on Saturday, I noticed on their website that actually they were closed on the weekends but the call was answered anyway. I'm really impressed. I searched for the best prices on the internet. Here's their website:

http://www.poultrysupplies.com

I'll get back on the results. I'm crossing my fingers! I have to go play...

 

[Jenski]

You might also try pine tar. Nasty to put on ~ you might need to use tongue depressors to spread it on their tail feathers. Other folks are claiming this is THE preventive. You can find this in the horse section of the farm store or co-op.

Good luck!

 

[Dandelion007]

Funny, I just got back inside from putting pine tar on when I read your post. I had picked it up at the Tractor Supply last week and today I put it on instead of the usual tractor grease. It's been an everyday thing with the tractor grease. But I have them at least growing feathers now. They seem to not be going for the ones that make it past the blood feather stage. I got the chicken blinders today. I planned to put them on but wimped out at the last second. If I had just found a chicken dead, I could put it right though but since that initial angry has wore off I find it hard now. I'm also struggling with the concept too. Maybe I just need to get working on that chicken tractor...

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Pine tar works well....

Good luck! Feather picking does become a habitual thing unless you can get them to stop with something they totally hate, which is pine tar, cheap and easy to use!