I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

[Gldnrose]

Here is a pic of her with her new bit.



As you can see, she cannot close her beak and therefore cannot pull feathers. I also trimmed her upper beak back to the quick and I know I'll have to keep trimming it, probably weekly as it will be growing quickly. I hope she stops this ugliness as she really is a pretty little thing and I'd like to keep her. However, in a few weeks when I take it off, if she resumes her attempts , I will have no choice.

She is getting plenty of attention but no one is being mean to her but her attitude is definitely a lot different than it was earlier. She may still get lower on the pecking order... that's ok. As long as nobody pulls feathers.

Fingers crossed

the bit works!
My girl still has her peepers on and they are still working, knock on wood.
Feathers are growing back! Cindy, who was the worst picked on is starting to look good again. The feathers are starting to emerge from the pins so now it looks like she's got little paint brushes all over, if that makes any sense, lol.
I figured out that only two of the four are molting. I hope the other two don't wait too much longer so its not super cold when they do.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Here is a picture of the bits that I have.

I bought them ages ago and therefore I don't remember where.

The white one on the left is the kind I put on the little pullet. It's fairly flexible and not hard to do with your bare hands. You just have to have someone else hold the bird.

The same shape metal bit is shown held by the pliers that you can order with the bits.

I'm pretty sure I got them both from the same place at the same time.





If you look closely at the metal bit you can see that one of the ends curves up quite a bit. They're not all like this. They are cut off flat so there is no razor sharp end but the edges of the flat cut off is too sharp in my opinion. So, I go through the tedious process of filing the edges of the end cuts so they are nice and rounded and smooth. No pain for my birds!

In case you cannot read the bag it says "Decker's Never-Pick Bits" Adult size pheasant bits or Adult size ChickNBits
Decker Mfg. Co 312 Blondeau Str. Keokuk, Iowa 52632

 

[azygous]

Thanks for posting the pics, Lacy. I'm very surprised at the simplicity of the design. Are the pliers the kind that have the open action instead of the squeezing action?

How is it going with the little picker?

 

[Lacy Blues]

The pliers have no springs at all. They have grooves on each side for the bit to fit into so that it doesn't spin when you're trying to put them on. I think I'm going to change to the metal bit next week when I check her beak growth.

The plastic ones are thicker and I'm a little bit afraid that it is blocking her nasal air flow. I don't need her getting congested because she cannot breathe through her nose. Those passages are not completely blocked but because she is so young, her nostrils are smaller.

Anyway... I've checked on her from time to time and I don't see her trying to get feathers or scrape backs with her beak. She seems to be comfortable wearing it now and is no longer trying to get it off. The other birds don't seem to notice her so much anymore either. So its going well. She's eating and drinking with the rest of them.

 

[Cluckies]

Update - Well, I got the peepers and put a pair on Cluck-Cluck Monday night, she seemed ok with them, was able to eat pretty good right away, she still has them on. However, while cluck-cluck was still locked up Monday during the day, it was very windy, goose's feathers must have blown up and shown the other chickens her bald picked spots, so then they went after goose. She was pretty raw around her tail area. I kept watch and it seemed like Fi was the main culprit. So I locked up goose to keep her safe tuesday (in the pen inside the hen house) and Tuesday night I installed the Peepers on Fi. Fi did not do so well as cluck-cluck. She couldn't walk real well, kinda like she was drunk, couldn't eat very well. They went to bed. Wednesday morning I put goose in the hospital again. Wednesday after work Fi was still having issues, couldn't see to eat and still walking drunk like. I feel it was best to take them off of Fi. also that night she laid a rubber egg on the roost Anywhoo, cluck-cluck is the main picker, so I think it is most important that she wears the peepers. I think it is best to keep goose in the hospital during the day though until her feathers grow back. I let her out to free range with the others and she sleeps on the roost with them at night with no issue. So far everything is going really well. I haven't seen cluck-cluck pick on anybody since I put the peepers on her. The other girls seem really happy and relaxed. Hopefully it all goes well. I'll probably try and take the peepers off of cluck-cluck in a month - 6 weeks. First I want gooses feathers to grow back and see how it goes with the others in the hen house and run without her missing feathers. Does anyone know how long feathers take to grow back? I also upped their protein (bought show/game bird feed and mix it with their regular feed. bought sunflower seeds and also meal worms. Just got the forco I ordered yesterday and started adding that to their food. I can't remember how much of this i'm suppose to add to their food though.... Thanks guys, I'll update in a few days.

 

[Lacy Blues]

The big feathers, like wing and tail, take 6 weeks to grow back in. The smaller ones... I don't know how long they take but not six weeks.

 

[Cluckies]

She seems to have most of her big tail feathers, it is just bald around the area and on her lower back, so that is good then, I can maybe let her out sooner during the day then, that would be great! The blue-kote seems to work unless it is very windy out as well.

 

[Gldnrose]

Hi everyone, just wanted to post some photos, especially of Cindy, who took the brunt of the feather picking. I had posted some pics of her in an earlier post so you can surely see the difference now ) Between molting and peepers being installed she's looking great! I think Cindy and Sister are still molting but no bare spots anymore. Looks like Bitty is starting to molt but Bob (yes she is a girl, long story) hasn't started yet. Hopefully soon. I am just so thrilled that these peepers are working! I hope everyones chickens are behaving )

Here's Cindys back


Cindy and Sister (2nd and 3rd hen from front). both almost fully feathered.


Bitty the feather plucker with her peepers. Clearly they don't hamper gobbling up some pumpkin.


Just a group shot of everyone enjoying some pumpkin.

 

[Cluckies]

That is great! My cluck-cluck is doing well still with the peepers, she grabs a butt feather once in a while, but not near as much. I still keep goose in the "hospital" during the day. her feathers are coming in very nicely.

 

[azygous]

Ah! The sweet, sweet aroma of success! Let's hope it lasts!

Cindy and her sisters are looking lovely, to say the least! Isn't it enjoyable to look at chickens with feathers?

And here in the home front, Flo is still behaving herself! Can you believe it? I haven't even had to holler at her in the last couple weeks. Maybe this hollering business has some merit. I'm enjoying looking at Joycie with a full neck full of feathers!