Feather problem--Updated

[Farmer Kitty]

I couldn't find my bitter apple and you have to get it at a pet store (we don't have any right here). I did find Bitter Barrier at Wal-mart and that seemed to work but, I don't know. Apparently when they flocked/jumped her she was standing wrong or something. She now has a sore leg and is back in the pen. I have it in the coop hoping that when her leg is well enough for her to go back there won't be as many reintroducing issues.

 

[pollysmum]

With birds its not the bitterness that works... its the color of the skin that entices them to pick or the red vein in the feather that entices them to peck at it

So you need to change the color of the area being pecked

We have a product here that we get for horses.. its blue

Blue cote.... it has some disinfectant properties... it stains the skin blue... wear gloves and don't spray it down wind and get it onto your face.. very hard to remove

Once the area is blue the other hens tend not to peck at it

DO NOT... put any color such as red, pink, orange, anything that will indicate or could indicate fresh meat the birds will peck at it

If the pecking is happening in the coop... put up celephane on any windows .......... RED............yep.. red... the entire hen house will turn a pink tone... and the hens stop pecking at each other ... also spray the butts blue

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Interesting! We use blue cote on the cows too, so I have some on hand and will give it a try! Thank you!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I sprayed Eldora up with the bitter agent and blue kote and put a saddle on her. Then I put her out of the pen (it was in the coop) and in with the others last night. The other pullets left her alone and Sir Roo was very happy to see his favorite back. The saddle was working!

Everything was fine this morning. This afternoon they had the saddle off of her, the feathers she had started growing back peck out as well as more. They also had her bloodied. She is back in the barn in the pen. I guess she will be staying there for a while.

 

[pollysmum]

win some ... lose some ...

Well at least you know the apron works ... maybe it just needs a few minor adjustments to get it to say on

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
Debeaking the others? No seriously I took my sewing kit out to the coop and made adjustments to it when I put it on her. Speckledhen is also having trouble with pullets pecking at her rooster and has tried everything suggested to her and still nothing works. I think not only is the weather goofy this year that the animals are too.

 

[pollysmum]

Also just thought I might add.. use wide elastic, soft one.. don't use Velcro or thin elastic... they don't stay on.