feather picking problem need more suggestions

[pigfarmer]

Just an update on my chicken pecking.............
I have added cat food to the chicken feed. I mix about 1/3 bag of cat food to 50# of chicken feed (pellets) and mix it well.
I have done this for about a week now... my pecked birds have pin feathers growing out,
and my pecked roo seems to be doing better!

I have not tried the vicks/cool-aide mix yet. Wanted to try a protein boost first.

 

[ilovechickens]

I have a duo of Cuckoo Maran hens that are picking all the tail feathers off the other birds in their pen, 1 rooster, 2 EE, and 2 Cuckoo Maran hens, on one of the hens, she has picked her clean from the tail feathers all the way down!! I put vaseline, hotpick, blu-coat and still she is being picked as the others. They have ample room in their coop, plus they have a 12x16 foot run, they get high quality layer pellets, sun flower seeds, scratch, bread crumbs, oyster shells, flock blocks, fresh water. I know who the culprits are because they are the only two with all their feathers, I feel the only thing left is to cull them, the one hen has freezer burn on her rump!!!

If I can't figure something out, the soup kettle is the only other solution for the feather pickers!!!

 

[newchickenmommy]

I am having a problem like this with one (maybe two, but most likely one) hen. I am considering trimming her beak so she can't do the damage she has been. Do you think this will work or not?

 

[pigfarmer]

I am not for beak alterations... I would send them to a freezer vaca before that pain.
I added cat food to the chicken feed, which seems to be a good thing.
I have been looking at why they peck others, biggest thing is diet, protein(s) and/or vitamin deficiency.

So far, so good with cat food

 

[azygous]

Have you heard of the Vick's Vapo-rub and artificial grape flavored Kool-aid powder picking repellent? It's a home remedy I came up with.

Artificial grape flavor is to birds what red pepper is to us. Also there's turpentine oil in the vick's which is also a repellent. I had a pullet that was getting her comb mercilessly ripped from her little head by several bullies, and it halted the villains in their tracks immediately after spreading it on her comb. I had an older hen who had been plucking out her own neck feathers as soon as the pin feathers would emerge going on three months, and it cured her overnight after spreading it on her bare neck.

Mix two tablespoons Vick's with an envelope of grape Kool-aid powder and spread onto bare flesh. I caution against getting it on feathers because it's awfully greasy and doesn't easily scrub out. But it sure seems to work.

If you've tried everything else, you have nothing to lose by trying this one last thing before you start the executions.

 

[newchickenmommy]

I have added cat food, and they do love that. I give them a handful every week or two. Their main diet is ayer pellets and scratch, every day. I am in Minnesota, and I heard that scratch raises their body temps. They are so spoiled, they get warm oatmeal at least once a week, lettuce, green beans, corn, anything we have left over that is chicken worthy. I don't think my chickens are lacking for nutrition. I just think Belle is the HBIC in the coop and she is a little mean. I know she is definately the largest.

Gold Laced Wyandottes are generally agressive and I didn't know that or do enough research before purchasing two of them and adding them to my flock because I thought they look nice. They are beautful. (Most people think I am weird for thinking chickens are beautiful, but what do they know anyway

. As soon as I did that, I knew I made a mistake. They would gang up on the others. My answer to that was to get rid of one of them. I thought if I had just one of them, it would be less likely to be agressive, and it did work for awhile. Until the one that I kept took over the coop completely and made no bones at all about who was who on the roost. I think she just needs to be taken down a notch or two. She has a very pointed, sharp beak. I thought maybe a little trim might make it less of a weapon.

Poor Annie. Is the Vicks going to sting her back though? She does have a rather big scab from where she was picked on. I put Triple Antibiotic ointment on it, thinking it might help it to start healing and maybe the one who is picking might not like the greasy feel of the ointment.

 

[TK Poultry]

the answer to that is probably get a roo if you dont have one already because one of the hens takes over the flock as an aggresser so if you get a roo he will keep her in line and she will calmly keep the other hens in line....... i don't know if it would sting but its like putting neo in a cut it will only sting for a minute and its going to hurt worse if someone else starts pecking at it

 

[azygous]

Vick's might sting if applied on broken skin. The grape kool-aid powder is the more important ingredient, so I would just mix it in with the antibiotic ointment instead of using Vick's. Can't hurt.

 

[Mahonri]

I learn something new here everyday. Vicks and Grape Kool aid. who'd a thunk it?!

 

[newchickenmommy]

No, I can't get a Rooster. I have just over an acre of land, and I can have a few hens here but not roosters. Actually I'm not supposed to have either one, but my hens are quiet enough not to bother the neighbors, and a rooster would be loud. Can you believe that in the city of Ramsey you need 2 1/2 acres to have a horse, but to have a chicken you need to have 3 acres?? Stupid ordinance. I imagine it is because of the noise though. No one can see my hens and the ones that occasionally do, don't care.

Thanks for the response though. I did put some vicks on her back and then (dumb as it sounds) I put a BIG patch type bandaide on her back where the injury is. I stuck it to her feathers. Hopefully that works until I can do something else. At least they can't pick at the wound.

Oddly enough, when I went out to the coop last night, after applying her bandaide, I put her up on the top roost. This morning when I went to check on her, she was still there! She has NEVER been on the top roost. It's like a status symbol in our coop, and the same two bully chickens are always up there. But not last night! I hope she enjoyed her night on top! (so to speak).