I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

[Lacy Blues]

Reiki?

 

[azygous]

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

I've seen remarkable responses from dogs when I've treated them for arthritis. Chickens are especially receptive from my own experience, and seem to get addicted to it. I start out with one, then another hen sees it, and comes in to get some. Pretty soon I have six or seven, up to nine hens in a tight pod all joining in the energy flow. When I stop and get up off the ground, they remain in formation until they notice the energy flow has been interrupted.

Anyone can do Reiki. Simply place your hands on the subject and permit energy to flow through you to your chickens.

 

[Crazie Eddie]

Reiki?

I got interested in Reiki after reading "Animal Reiki" by Kathleen Prasad - it's an inspirational book if you're interested in working with troubled animals. Reiki_On is a Yahoo group with tons of info, and they do distance attunements and treatments. I've got my level 2 attunement, and when I use Reiki regularly I really feel the difference - I hope it will take the edge off of Ginny's nasty little habit...

 

[equius]

The Bumpa-bits are on the way, I'll put up another post when they arrive. Looks like they are going to be $1.25 each plus shipping.

Jim Rea

 

[Sunflowergirl]

Reiki must be along the lines of why when I am having a bad day, I can go out and hold one of my chickens and everything feels better!

 

[azygous]

The Reiki energy does flow both ways! I'm as addicted to it as are my chickens. I have to laugh at one of my four-year old Wyandotte hens, Alice, who has been stand-offish, hating to be touched, all her life. A few months ago, I caught her and got her into the Reiki thing and after just two encounters, she now follows me around, loudly demanding treatments. She's well and truly addicted, and she has the most caustic voice, only shutting up while being given Reiki.

 

[Lacy Blues]

 

[azygous]

My feather-pickers are popping up in my flock like dandelions in a grass lawn in spring. I have three new ones now, besides Flo.

I noticed that Joycie, the Brahma who was always Flo's feather-picking victim, but had regrown all her feathers during fall molt, has recently been sporting a thoroughly chewed neck. Also, Penrod- the- roo's neck has been getting much worse.

It turns out that three, and maybe all four for all I know, of the youngest flock members, Speckled Sussex, have been the culprits. Still waiting for Bumpa-bits to come from Jim's Forco Colorado, I made do by trimming their beaks and installing pinless peepers. That's slowed the picking down somewhat, but Joycie seems to look worse every day.

I don't know what else to say. It's very depressing, although Flo has adjusted well to wearing the bit, has resumed laying, and is behaving herself.

 

[Crazie Eddie]

I noticed this morning that my problem child is starting to show some damage, which makes me wonder if the problem is spreading here as well.

My friend has offered to take Ginny back, to see if there is something in the environment here that is triggering the problem. Ginny's siblings there are just fine.

What do you all think of this idea? While I still hold out hope that the Bumper-Bits will stop the problem, I don't what to have my whole little flock wearing them forever...

 

[azygous]

The main objective is to disrupt the behavior by any means possible. This will provide the chance that the bad habit can be unlearned. If Ginny has to go live away from home for a while, that sure beats culling her. I'd give it at least three months before bringing her back to the flock.

A neighbor made the observation that spring may have some influence on this latest rash of bad behavior. It's a time when a rooster's hormones are surging and several of my hens are showing signs of broodiness. It could be influencing the flock equilibrium. If you bring Ginny home around mid-summer, things may have settled down enough where she won't resume picking, but she will have to find her place in the new pecking order, and that won't be fun to watch.