pecked feathers question

[MissPrissy]

BluKote is sold for horses in most places so look in your local co-op or feed and seed store for it. If not you can shop online and get it. It comes in either a spray can or a bottle with a dipper brush on a stick.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Thank you very much. I was able to find it online but it is only available in a spray. You also mentioned something about stop peck. Is that also available at the feed store? I did not see it online.
Have a great day

 

[MissPrissy]

Here it is

http://www.roosterboosterproducts.com/site/681439/product/50910

I generally keep a few things on hand just in case an emergency need arises. It can be expensive but some things are nice to have just in case you need them. I think someone in the past put together a first aid kit post for poultry that you might want to look for, too.

 

[karmical]

Hi there! I've had some feather picking issues lately myself and ran the gambit of remedies. The birds getting picked in my situation are my Salmon Faverolles...their beards and muffs have now been picked clean off...I've been lucky so far in that there's been no blood.

Here's what I've tried:

Blu-Kote: since it was purple on top of white/pink...it DREW attention to the area. No good. Picking increased.

Rooster Booster anti-pick: Bought this then saw it had tea tree oil as an ingredient, which I was told can be somewhat toxic if ingested, which it would have been in my case since the feather-picker was eating the picked feathers.

Vick's baby-rub: a goopy mess, but no harmful ingredients and after applying it to what was left of the feathers in the area my girls were being picked, the picking seemed to slow down. Found that you really need to apply at least twice a day though, so the picker gets a bad taste in their mouth. After that, even the smell of it seems to turn them off.

I think my problem was a mix of a nutritional issues along with the SFs white pouffy beards looking so different (a.k.a delicious) to a couple of my other birds. Anyways...the advice I was given, that made the most sense to me, was to cover your bases nutritionally (I now believe in AviaCharge2000 as a GREAT supplement) while you try this and that to stop the behavior. Hopefully, you hit a solution in there somewhere!

Good luck

I know how frustrating it is to see this happening!!

PS - I should also say that I used the Blu-Kote when my Black Autralorp had her bum picked a bit and it did wonders...blended everything together for a perfect camouflage.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Karmical - What you are saying is that Rooster - Booster is toxic? I guess if this is the case, I don't want to put it on my roosters feet as the hens are eating the feathers that they pluck out of his feet. I have not actually seen this happen, but I also do not see any feathers in the pen or coop from his feet.

I keep a lot of straw in the pen to help with camouflaging of the feet and try to let them out to roam when I can. The problem is there are a lot of eagles and hawks in the area and I am terrified that one day they will swoop down and grab one of my babies.
I can only let them out for about an hour a day because of this. I guess I shouldn't be so selfish with my time, but I get bored after so long. I have picked all of the weeds in the grass so now what do I do with my time while I am waiting for them to roam?

Also, I have tried something that works pretty good. I have had to do something for my poor boots (rooster) before my order of Blu-Kote arrives.

I mixed up all of the colors in food coloring, which turned out to be a dark greenish purple as if he had bruised feet, and applied that directly to my roosters feet with a cotton ball.
After the feet dried, I applied Neosporin ointment to help in the healing.

So far none of the hens have figured it out. They are leaving the feet alone on my rooster and now hopefully he will be able to heal.

I hope this information will help someone else with similar problems.
Have a great day.

 

[karmical]

Hi again Jakenhoss

I got the info about teatree oil from dlhunicorn...she seems to really know her stuff...as it's an ingredient in the roosterbooster anti-pick, I decided not to risk it.

I can understand your anxiety about hawks and such...I don't let my girls out of their run to roam much either. I tried to make their run big enough to feel like the have some outdoor space at least and put netting up over it...they so love to be able to go outside as they wish throughout the day.

What a great idea to use food-coloring as camouflage! Non-toxic and it sounds like it's working!! My fingers are crossed for you that your guy gets to heal lickity-split!

Have a great weekend....

 

[MissPrissy]

They would have to ingest the entire bottle and more to make them sick. Please don't over react. Yes, some things are toxic and some things are only toxic in great quanities. I have used the no pick spread for years. I don't have any dead birds from it.

 

[karmical]

Thanks MissP!

It's hard to know sometimes...I guess it can be easy to overreact when you're just beginning to learn about keeping these critters healthy. I worry about every little thing and I know I should try not to do that so much. dlhunicorn said the tea tree oil was a big no-no...but she wasn't specific if it was a matter of "how much"...I'm glad to hear that you've had success with the rooster booster and never had a problem...I bought the bottle before getting the tea tree oil info and was feeling bad to have spent the money and not be able to use it. If you feel it's safe, I might still give it a try.

Thanks!

 

[Buster]

MissP- I just remembered that I have rooster-booster that my friend gave me when he gave me the chickens. He told me to only use it if they were bleeding. But he's already missing most all of his saddle feathers. Will it work to make them stop picking his feathers or should I only use it if he bleeds?