I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

[Coralee]

I have had only one major feather picking problem, when the flock turned on one hen and plucked her almost completely. Has anyone seen that happen before? She now has her own coop with a companion bird. Now that my hens are a little older, almost 4 years, their egg laying has slowed down a lot. I feed Nutrena layer, but I am wondering if I shouldn't try some supplemental aids. Does the FORCO help with egg laying?

 

[azygous]

When your hen was plucked by the flock, did she have any wounds? Was she molting with loose feathers and new blood-rich pin feathers? Those factors could be a reason for the attack.

Yes, Forco should help with laying insomuch as it promotes nutrient absorption of their food and overall health and well-being.

But it's currently not an obvious solution to my Flo's problems.

I just fed her a teaspoon of camomile and 31 meal worms. Then I let her out of jail because it's getting near egg-laying time. She ran around the pen a few times, eating the squash chunks the others were working on, and then she went up to the rooster and started yanking feathers out of his neck. This is rather early for such frenzied behavior.

I'll go back out there in a bit to feed her some dried cat food.

 

[chickiemomy]

hate to say it, don't know if I could do it -- but maybe it's time for Flo & dumplings??? - at the very least, you don't want her genes in any new babies in the flock I would think --

don't recall, what breed is Flo?? - I don't have feather pickers (yet...) - but my GSL's are certainly more food-driven, and food-anxious than my Australorps, or Buckeyes.

my sympathies -- you have been SOO patient with that bird - don't know if I would be as nice...

 

[Coralee]

She wasn't moulting at the time, but later on comparing her with the rest of the flock, I do notice that she was the smallest hen. Pecking order gone wild? Maybe. We have a feed store close by, and the next time I'm there, I'll ask about the FORCO. I hope you have good luck with Flo. I tried not to name my "egg" flock hens, but day after day they show such personality that it happened anyway. Does the chamomile help in calming Flo? I have a bantam cochin roo, Stormy, that is hyper. I may try some chamomile and see if it calms him down some.

 

[azygous]

Flo is eating some dry catfood now. She's always been a favorite hen, since chickhood. I could never kill her. Or even re-home her. She's an EE. And very smart, and very cuddly.

I don't know how the camomile will affect her. We'll see. If it calms a rooster, that would be a miracle.

I'm hoping that this relapse is temporary, like the others. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Lacy Blues, what kind of salt? Like iodized table salt or kosher flake salt? Do you mean like some chamomile tea to calm her down?
Thanks!

I just use table salt. All creatures need the iodine so just a really small pinch, as I don't want to overdo it. The chamomile is to calm her down. It may take a while to actually show some results. I don't know, I've never had a bird so frenzied and I'm turning to herbs this year. So far, they have served me well. I haven't tried chamomile for even myself but I thought... what can it hurt and it's worth a try.

If she is generally frenzied like that in the afternoons, I'd jail her then. I wouldn't want my rooster bare either... it's too bloody cold for that!

 

[aart]

Quite the 'discussion', just read the whole thing. Have been reading alot in the past months in preparation for aquiring a flock and this is the first thread I've read about feather picking that didn't address space/overcrowding.

 

[chickenlickin8]

Yeah, it just occurred to me that the onset of egg-laying has probably caused a protein drain in Flo's system.

I have some meal worms just getting to the size to be harvested. How many worms, average of an inch long and 1/8th inch diameter, do you think would be a therapeutic dose? Up until now, I've only been feeding meal worms as an occasional treat, not as medicine for a protein deficiency.

Flo is in jail this morning, and appears calm and content. It's not until late afternoon that she becomes agitated and driven to zero in on feathers.

And how much cat food would be a therapeutic dose? A teaspoon? A half cup?

I give my 8 girls about a 1/4 cup Purina Naturals dry cat food. Adjust your dose to 1/2 cup being that you have more hens. I've been giving it to them since they were 14 weeks and they are 10 months now. It helps with good feather growth too during molting.

Mealworms, I would give a 1/4 cup.

Let me know how that works out! Good Luck!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Quite the 'discussion', just read the whole thing. Have been reading alot in the past months in preparation for aquiring a flock and this is the first thread I've read about feather picking that didn't address space/overcrowding.

Overcrowding and space issues are not always the cause. I think a lot depends on the temperament of your particular breed.

 

[aart]

Overcrowding and space issues are not always the cause. I think a lot depends on the temperament of your particular breed.

True but, it doesn't even look like it was brought into the discussion, would be the first thing to evaluate I would think.