pecked feathers question

[Buster]

Can anyone tell me about how long it takes to grow back feathers that have been pecked out after the pecking stops?

 

[sara]

I bought a hen that was missing the feathers on her back from the rooster she was with. She was completely bare on her back. I kept a saddle on for 3 weeks, took it off and she was all feathered back in. That was the first time I took it off so I don't know how long they were there but at 3 weeks they were all grown back in. i don't know if that helps but that was my experience.

 

[MissPrissy]

It takes a good source of protein to help grow back feathers. You might try adding a boiled and chopped egg to the daily diet or even meat scraps from your table. Some people give dry cat food but you have to watch the sodium content.

My chickens love chopped boiled eggs (shells and all) mixed with cooked rice and my own homemade yogurt. I also give them cooked meat scraps. All of my kitchen scraps go to my chickens.

 

[Buster]

Thanks Miss Prissy- I have started feeding them things like meat and eggs for protein, and also scattering pieces of bread and fruit and other things. I've noticed that they don't peck at each other as much. Sometimes I think they peck out of lack of protein and sometimes it seems just boredom. My SF roo is so nice about it that I think he'd let the 2 NHR hens pick him bare and just cock his head at them. Right now he has no beard and the long feathers on his back are all pecked out.

 

[MissPrissy]

When protein is lacking they will pick and eat feathers, too.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I think that's what is happening with my girls. I got the some black oiled sunflower seeds and avia charge in their water. I know they must be missing something.

 

[Jakenhoss]

I am new to this forum so please be patient with me. I am not sure if I am even doing this correctly. Here is my situation;

I have a Bantam Silki Rooster that is getting his feet feathers plucked out by two of the hens. It is to the point where he is bleeding all of the time which attracts the hens even more. The chickens are all approximately eight months old. (I have four hens, 2 Road Island Reds and 2 Banties and two roosters.) I have been putting extra straw in the pen in hopes of hiding his feet but it is getting to the point where the hens know he has a problem with his feet and they stalk him all day long. Isolation is not an option at this point. I tried it in late summer, when it first started, and it really didn't do anything but upset the rooster because he was captured every morning and evening to go to the extra pen and back to the coop at night. It was very stressful on him. It is now getting too cold to leave him by his self in the other cage all day without the protection of the coop. Is there a cream or ointment that is easily purchased or what do you recommend for my poor little boots.
Thank you for your time and opinions.

 

[MissPrissy]

Unless you find away to keep him away from the others until he heals they will pick and peck until his feet are bloody knobs of meat. Chickens will eat other chickens. They are attracted to the red bloodiness of his feet.

You can try using BluKote on his feet. Be careful with it. It has gentian violet in it and it stains EVERYTHING purple. You can try painting his feet up with it to mask the blood, to coat the wounds and to help prevent infections and fungus. When that is completely dried on his skin you can smear a good bit of stop pick on his feet and lower legs. They won't like the taste of that thick sticky mess and may leave him alone.

However, I urge you to find away to safely separate him until he begins to heal.

 

[Buster]

When I first posted this topic, my SF roo had blood on his feet. I had just received these chickens and they were not nice to this roo. Since then, I've been giving them treats and protein and the blood is all gone. A friend gave me some "rooster booster" and it's supposed to be good for wounds although I haven't had to use it yet.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Thank you very much Miss Prissy and jareds44m.
I really appreciate the help.

Where would I find this “BluKote”? I have heard of using this before but I was unable to find it. My rooster has feathers on his feet, is this going to be a problem with what is left of them?

As I said before, I really don’t have a way to isolate him because it was way too stressful last time and I don’t like stressing them out. I have to capture him, which is not easily done, then carry him across the yard to the front (across two acres) then put him in a very small pen. Anything could happen while carrying him from the back to the front plus he is very lonely out there. In the evening I have to capture him again and carry him back to his pen in the back. I can't leave him out front because he has no protection from the weather, and if a predator came in I would not hear it. Right now it is freezing temperatures at night.

I will try this remedy and hopefully it will be the cure.

Again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.