PossiblyPekin
In the Brooder
Hello everyone!
I have a bit of a predicament — one of my Barbu D'uccle hens has been picking at my rooster's feathers, plucking out the majority of his beard and damaging his saddle feathers. I have no idea what's the cause behind this behavior is?
They have adequate space, they have a balanced diet consisting of protein and calcium, and they get fresh greens every day along with a fruity treat from time to time. I'm at a loss. I don't want her to teach the other hens to start doing this. She's not actively bullying him either. She'll follow him around and just pluck out feathers — he lets her do this. There's no aggression, nothing.
Some people have been telling me to cut off the tip of her beak, and that seems very risky and just not ethical. I've placed various things in their run to keep them busy thinking this might be boredom, but it's still going on.
I separated her and put her with my pekin rooster, maybe hoping he'd discourage her from plucking by maybe whooping her butt. I wouldn't want to rehome her. I just got her and she's such a pretty girl... but if I have to — I will.
Below is a picture of him before his fourth wife decided to give him a makeover.
I have a bit of a predicament — one of my Barbu D'uccle hens has been picking at my rooster's feathers, plucking out the majority of his beard and damaging his saddle feathers. I have no idea what's the cause behind this behavior is?
They have adequate space, they have a balanced diet consisting of protein and calcium, and they get fresh greens every day along with a fruity treat from time to time. I'm at a loss. I don't want her to teach the other hens to start doing this. She's not actively bullying him either. She'll follow him around and just pluck out feathers — he lets her do this. There's no aggression, nothing.
Some people have been telling me to cut off the tip of her beak, and that seems very risky and just not ethical. I've placed various things in their run to keep them busy thinking this might be boredom, but it's still going on.
I separated her and put her with my pekin rooster, maybe hoping he'd discourage her from plucking by maybe whooping her butt. I wouldn't want to rehome her. I just got her and she's such a pretty girl... but if I have to — I will.
Below is a picture of him before his fourth wife decided to give him a makeover.
I'll look into peepers! I'm gonna recheck for lice and put some diatomaceous earth in their runs and coops. Otherwise I'll just keep her separate until his feathers grow back!
