Do Peepers Really Work??

[critterlover]

I have done EVERYTHING for my chickens and I am going insane with their feather picking!! I am going to have bald chicken pretty soon. They have plenty of room, fresh air, water, feed, vegetables, grain, etc. They never even looked at the cabbage I hung for them. They used the Flock Block, but it didn't stop any pecking. We even put in new outside roost for them to play on to keep busy. Tonight I found one of my BO with a bloody lower back. She had down feathers this morning, but even though it was a beautiful day and the girls were outside all day, they plucked her to a red bloody raw area.

I always thought peepers were cruel, but I also don't want dead chickens. So.....do they really work???? If the chicken can only see down, how are they able to walk around without bumping into things? How are they able to jump up onto their roost? Once the feathers all grow back, can you really remove the peeper and have the pecking be over with once and for all?

Anyone with experience using them, good or bad, I would love to know.

 

[kelidei]

just giving you a bump--- I am interested too.

 

[Country Cluck]

Feather picking has nothing to do with sight and everything to do with a need for additional protien. Chickens will only pick feathers when they are low on protien and pick feathers to fufill that need. I would suggest trying to give them low salt tuna, salmon or some other type of high fat fish or meat. Try that first before you resort to peepers. Also once an area on the chicken is red it becomes a magnet or focal point for others, so that could be one cause as well. Try rubbing Cicken Chicken Anti Pick lotion all open and inflamed areas to darken them to black and once they get a taste of that they won't be back for more, trust me.

 

[critterlover]

I've tried extra protein before. Not sure if it really made that much of a difference. I can try it again. I sprayed Blu Kote on her last night and put her in the garage for the evening. I tossed alfalfa hay, sunflower seeds and scrambled eggs in their run this morning to keep them busy. I put the injuried girl in first and then let the others out. So far they have been too busy to go after her. I always worry about anti pick lotions/sprays on open wounds. Plus I have always read on here that they need to be applied every day for them to really work.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Yes. Peepers work. I got clip-on peepers from eggcarton.com and used them on my bullies for about 2 months. Stopped most of the bullying and made a much happier flock. I would try them if you think they might help. Very easy to use. The peepered chickens will have a tantrum and be upset for a few days and then get over it.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Quote:
Sometimes that's not always the case, I have one hen that is a beast! She is mean and pecks other hens will feeding and she even doesn't allow some of the hens to use the nesting boxes, I'm going to get peepers just for her......she so mean! I think sometimes there are just going to be some hens that are more aggressive. Good luck, I'm having the same problem.

 

[MandyH]

I too had problems with one breed in particular that were picking each other to death. They had everything they needed but loved to pick each other clean. I bought the pinless peepers that just snap right on and require no tools and we have had great success with them. I can even hold a chicken between ny knees and pop the pinless peepers on without my husband having to help.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
feather picking does have to have to do with sight, some hens are more prone to pick than others, I use peepers only on flocks that pick and only after I have tried everything else, including protein, i have had chickens that love the taste of anti-pick lotion, pine tar, blue cote. each breed I have is in a separate flock everyone gets the same feed, sunlight,scratch. one flock has pickers the rest do not.

 

[Penturner]

Quote:
feather picking does have to have to do with sight, some hens are more prone to pick than others, I use peepers only on flocks that pick and only after I have tried everything else, including protein, i have had chickens that love the taste of anti-pick lotion, pine tar, blue cote. each breed I have is in a separate flock everyone gets the same feed, sunlight,scratch. one flock has pickers the rest do not.

I think you have to do a bit of self editing to that comment. Consider the comment begins with "Feather picking has nothing to do with sight" and ends with an example of how Red (a visual trigger) can be a cause of picking. What is important is to know that Nutrition could be one of the problems causing the picking. Visual triggers could be the cause as well as simple aggression. I was told long ago that birds do not tend to show illness or injury because flock mates will attack them at the first sign of weakness of any kind. I apply this principal to chickens as well. watch your bird for any sign that might be seen as weakness. I also understand that feather picking can have to do with housing conditions in general, bad feed, or the bird being infested with mites or that sort of thing. just some other causes of feather picking I have heard about.

 

[geebs]

someone post a pic of "peepers" I am dying to know what they look like.