I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

[Lacy Blues]

I've just about decided that all my pickers are going to pick the axe for themselves... I'm almost there! I have several young and beautiful girls that do not pick nor have they been picked on. One group of young girls (4 of them) all look terrible! I think I only want to keep one of those because of who she is... I plan to cross her back to her sire as I'm working on abdominal spacing and he has it in spades. She does too and hopefully I can solidify this trait in their offspring. After this next molt, I'm hoping I won't have any more pickers. They drive me crazy!

 

[Maurice11]

I, too, don't know what to do. I have the three Polish inmy shower (at night) and large dog pen (during the day) waiting for their crest feathers to grow out. Then what? This is my third flock of a variety of chickens, and never had this problem. Other hens and TWO roosters (including 3 polish - it is 3 polish that are also isolated) are getting along without plucking, etc., but then they are only 12 weeks old. Shall I feed them all more protein, kitty food, what?

 

[azygous]

Have you read this entire thread? If you haven't, every single method known to chicken owners have been tried by the people posting to this thread. They are too numerous to list.

As I summarized above, there is no known lasting cure for feather picking (except culling), and all you can do is go through the list of temporary cures and try them, expecting no more than the behavior to abate for a couple months at best. All you can do is interrupt it, not permanently cure it.

Not one knows what causes it. We have determined it does have basis in a chicken's biological health as well as individual temperament. It can also be a learned behavior, picked up among close-knit groups.

People usually begin by feeding more protein, then they move in to more invasive fixes such as pinless peepers and bumpa-bits, all discussed in the thread, as well as where to get them.

Good luck with this problem. It's one of the most heart-breaking problems we chicken keepers have run across.

 

[Maurice11]

Thank you very much, yes, I read the whole thread. I shall try Forco, but understand this takes 7 weeks. In the meantime, I will separate one of the outside chicken yards (I have 2) for the Polish kids, figure out something to put them into at night (I am in the mountains, and it gets cold at night) - again separate from the rest of the flock, and hope she makes it. Very frustrating. I just never had this problem before, I did have mixed flocks previously. But then, I have never heard of a trained chicken ....... I have dogs and horses also. sigh.

 

[yinzerchick]

I just ordered a 5lb bucket of Forco. I don't know if I have a feather picking problem or not. Half of my flock of 63 is molting, my roosters tail (which is pretty bald) looks sore, and really red. Then I saw some blood earlier today, I guess it was a blood feather coming in, and it was bleeding. I saw one of the hens sort of pick at him a little near his leg the other day, but didn't think much of it. Since so many are molting, and I think he is too, I didn't make the connection with feather picking. Last night though his tail looked not just bald, but real red and his bum has been bald and red for a while now, (I thought he had rubbed his feathers off jumping on the girls doing his rooster thang) I tried Rooster Booster NO PICK, last night, but that only seemed to upset him and make it worse.

Hoping this helps. I figure, even if they're not feather picking, perhaps it will help them absorb more protien to get through the molt.
I actually got on here to look for good protien supplements or protien packed treats suggestions to give them, and found this thread. 1 & 1/2 hour later, here I am, with a bucket of Forco on the way.

I'm so confused...LOL!
Wishing everyone with pickers good luck!

 

[Crazie Eddie]

As soon as my little flock was getting out more the pecking stopped - there are loose feathers all over the pen and in the coop. I've added a LOT of variety to their diet including mealworms, greens, fruit and veggies. Apart from their layer pellets and grit, all the food goes outside on the ground in the mulch, leaves straw so they have to forage for themselves. No feather picking that I can detect - yet. Unfortunately, Forco didn't do much for my flock or for my cats and dog.

One mistake I made last winter was not enclosing their outdoor run, and I'll do that so they have even more room to run and forage in.

And my problem hen remains my favorite. I was organizing their breakfast the other morning, a bit later than usual, and she hoped up on the waterer and looked right me in the eye as if to say, "Well, the service around here is certainly going downhill!" My lovely Ginny...

 

[azygous]

Well, my flock is still on Forco. I have twenty now, and I'm ordering the ten-pound bucket. It saves some money. They are addicted to the stuff, and I still believe it helps them absorb more nutrients.

They're all molting, even the four-month old pullets and cockerel. I noticed one pullet standing over her mate, systematically yanking feathers off her back. I gave her a sharp "peck" with my pecking finger and she hasn't done it again that I've been able to notice.

When those pin feathers are coming in, they're very vulnerable to picking, and the pickers quickly develop an addiction to them. What I do is keep them painted with Blu-kote so there's no color showing but the Blu-kote. It also helps heal damaged skin and prevents infection. Yinzer, you might try that.

My four Sussex are all chronic feather-pickers still, and I'm alternating between the peepers and bits to keep them under some control. Flo is still a problem unless she's wearing peepers. I tried to put a bumpa-bit on her but it wouldn't fit properly for some weird reason. She may be developing scar tissue inside her nostrils where the prongs fit. The peepers fit okay, though, and seem to be keeping her habit under control.

There is no cure for this curse. All we can do is try to minimize it somehow. It will come and go as the flock endures periodic stresses. I just enjoy the periods where everyone is sporting a full set of feathers!

 

[chicksnthestiks]

I have read through all this and I do love the Forco and so do the chickens! I (knock on wood) have not had the problem yet but can't remember if anyone has tried Bitter Apple spray? It sure works for bad dogs.

 

[JennyRed]

 

[Maurice11]

I separated the picked upon chicks from the rest of the flock, and they (3 Polish) shall live by them selves for awhile. I have fed them more protein in the form of baby chick food Flax seed and kitten kibble. I also used BluKote after washing their heads. They are thriving and the others - Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, Polish and Aracuanas - are fine too. They are all laying - practice eggs, as I call them. Don't know what causes the pecking, but hence, the term pecking order. This is my third flock (they are 5 months now) and i never had the problem. I have not tried the Forco, since it takes 7 weeks to 'kick' in. let me know how it works. It sounds wonderful, but I didn't have the time.
P.S. i thought chickens were water proof.