Feather picking

Oolala

Songster
Jun 29, 2017
235
672
176
France
I have talked about this recently with Daisy having a red bottom. I just thought her feathers were not growing back but I now have definate proof she is being pecked at. This morning when I let the chickens out Daisy was bleeding where she had been pecked. I have been putting calendula cream on her every day, thanks for the advice from Shadrach. I cant buy an anti pecking spray here in france so will have to order it on line which will take days to arrive so what can I do in the meantime. I dont know which chicken is doing it to her, they all seem curious about her red bottom, but suspect it is Blodwyn as she is a bully, she is the youngest but definately the boss of the pack. I have read about making an apron or saddle until feathers grow back??? but not really sure about using one or how easy it would be to put on. Is there another product I can put on her bum that will deter them or camouflage the colour. What if I dust her bum with white powder
 
I have talked about this recently with Daisy having a red bottom. I just thought her feathers were not growing back but I now have definate proof she is being pecked at. This morning when I let the chickens out Daisy was bleeding where she had been pecked. I have been putting calendula cream on her every day, thanks for the advice from Shadrach. I cant buy an anti pecking spray here in france so will have to order it on line which will take days to arrive so what can I do in the meantime. I dont know which chicken is doing it to her, they all seem curious about her red bottom, but suspect it is Blodwyn as she is a bully, she is the youngest but definately the boss of the pack. I have read about making an apron or saddle until feathers grow back??? but not really sure about using one or how easy it would be to put on. Is there another product I can put on her bum that will deter them or camouflage the colour. What if I dust her bum with white powder
Can you buy something like gentian violet or blukote? You paint in on the red areas turning them blue and they instantly become less attractive to pickers. :)
 
Can you buy something like gentian violet or blukote? You paint in on the red areas turning them blue and they instantly become less attractive to pickers. :)
I have read about that but dont know where to start looking for it, I think I will have to look to buy on line.
 
You used to be able to buy gentian violet in chemists. Do you have a local feed store or animal feed place?
We just have general garden centre stores here that have a small animal section, really not much choice. Tonight i covered the skin area in sudacream which they use for nappy rash on babies so she has a white bottom, the same colour as her feathers, maybe this will work for now until i can get to the vets and see what they have in stock.
 
Gentian violet is an antifungal and antibacterial that is the blue color in BluKote. It may be found in the pharmacy. Most any bad tasting ointment may help with pecking prevention. Something with menthol, or a horse ointment, pine tar or Stockholm tar may work as well. I have heard some say they have success with plain petroleum jelly. At the garden center, they may have sulfur powder, and that can be combined with ointment, much like Nustock Cream, a very good antifungal anti-peck cream.

More important, is to figure out why they are feather picking, and try to remedy that before it becomes a habit that spreads.
 
Gentian violet is an antifungal and antibacterial that is the blue color in BluKote. It may be found in the pharmacy. Most any bad tasting ointment may help with pecking prevention. Something with menthol, or a horse ointment, pine tar or Stockholm tar may work as well. I have heard some say they have success with plain petroleum jelly. At the garden center, they may have sulfur powder, and that can be combined with ointment, much like Nustock Cream, a very good antifungal anti-peck cream.

More important, is to figure out why they are feather picking, and try to remedy that before it becomes a habit that spreads.
Thanks for your advice. It all started when she moulted last October, she lost all the feather from her bum in days so I suppose her bottom was like a beacon to them after that except I just thought her feathers were slow to grow back. Last night and this morning I covered her bum in thick white sudacream so she is all the same colour and it doesnt look like she has been pecked at and they were not interested in her when I put her back down, I will continue for a few days with this and see how she goes otherwise I will ask at the pharmacy. I think they will get used to me asking for things for chickens which are normally for humans, when I asked for Calendula cream she said is it for your face and I said no, its for my chickens bum :lau at least it brought a smile to her face and she was sympathetic when I explained the problem. By the way, sudacream is what we use on babies bottoms so if its safe for them I guess its safe for chickens bums too😀
 
Once feathers are pecked out, sometimes they won’t grow back until the next molt. If they do grow in, many times they will be pecked back out. It can be good to look at the position of your roosts just in case they can get to each other’s bottoms where some may do some pecking. The sudacrem is zinc oxide-based, so may be good for hiding the red skin. Here is an article that lists the possible causes for feather picking:
https://poultry.extension.org/artic...ibalism-in-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/
 
Once feathers are pecked out, sometimes they won’t grow back until the next molt. If they do grow in, many times they will be pecked back out. It can be good to look at the position of your roosts just in case they can get to each other’s bottoms where some may do some pecking. The sudacrem is zinc oxide-based, so may be good for hiding the red skin. Here is an article that lists the possible causes for feather picking:
https://poultry.extension.org/artic...ibalism-in-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/
Poor Daisy, I really hope she may get some featners back. Tonight she is sleeping on her own in the straw, she has never roosted. Normally Poppy sleeps with her but she is on a roost tonight so perhaps the smell is keeping her away from Daisy
 

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