Ok, I've had it with this picking I NEED HELP!

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

You said you have been dealing with this all winter.
Were the hens locked up in the coop for longer than overnight each day?

Jean

 

[LoneCowboy]

My hen will be a year old in July. And no, they were never locked up in the coop. I even shoveled their run. I always try to give them stuff to do like shovel in a bunch of leaves that pile up on the back patio to give them stuff to do. I'm going to try the grease I think, I just hate the whole grease and dust bath combination.

Oh, how much salt? They have a 3 gallon waterer. Oh BTW, I put Avaia 2000 in their water all winter too, and that didn't help.

 

[mmajw]

I have the same problem with my Barred Rocks and Ameraucana's. I have had to seperate the one that they are pecking until she heals up. They are canibals. I have had to seperate others before for the same reason.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Well, that covers all the things I can think of that would cause the excessive picking.
I guess you just happened to get highly cannibalistic chickens.

The only other thing you could do to stop this is to get peepers that are used on pheasants to prevent picking. These fit on each birds beak.
They are not expensive, and you can remove them after all the chickens have healed and see if the picking starts up again.

Here is a link so you can see what I'm talking about. Several companies sell them.
http://www.cutlersupply.com/store/page.antipeck.html

Sorry I don't have any other suggestions for you.
Jean

 

[LoneCowboy]

Quote:
So, can anybody tell me approx. how much salt? I'll try it for a few days, just don't want to put in too much

 

[DuckLady]

If they are picking feathers, they might need more protein.
Try tossing some dry cat food for them to eat.

 

[patandchickens]

Or even scraps of Actual Meat. Like, bits of freezerburned leftovers, bits of the roast that got cooked too well-done for your taste, the little scraps of meat on a carcass that you would usually use with the bones to make broth, etc.


Pat

 

[LoneCowboy]

yep done the meat thing several times. I found the answer to the salt question

The Wisconsin Experiment Station developed a "salt cure" in 1942 that is supposed to be 99% effective. For a single morning, replace the birds' usual water with water that has one tablespoon of salt added per gallon. Replace the salt water with fresh water in the afternoon. Repeat three days later.​

 

[MTtroutwithwings]

Quote:
Well this certainly isn't the case for my birds...19 adult birds (the little ones are still in brooders) in a 110 sq. ft coop with a outdoor run of about 500 sq ft, overcrowding in not an issue. Plenty of protein in their diet. I will hang heads of lettuce and apples from strings for them to peck at, as well as a occasional block of suet. Fortunately the pecking has already stopped but not sure why.

Just hope the habit doesn't come back!

Lori