Pecked hen with bare back: UPDATE on making a duct tape saddle

[Miss Lydia]

Isolating the feather picker, that way she will lose statis and hopefully stop the pecking. I have even seen where some say to cull the feather picker.

 

[dmccann]

I have been down this road last winter,henny penny was de feathered on her back by others and her self.There was a big hole on her back,took her to vets got antiboitics,bandages ,keep her by her self. I later made her a special fitted coat,now almost a year later she has some feathers growing in,she still wears a coat.My chickens are nuts,i have done everything under the sun,they still pull on her tail feathers.I think i will try the tape there.I also bought peepers but never put them on yet.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Been dealing with a picking problem for months. Blue Kote helps, there has been no bleeding, but new feathers are picked as soon as they appear. Protein level has been raised, lots of roosts, feeders, entertainment, and plenty of room in the coop and run. I'm thinking about trying duct tape. I would have to put the tape on the base of the tail feathers of both the back and right above the vent. Will there be a problem having tape above the vent?

 

[mbakerins]

To remove tape and residue, try olive oil

 

[SarahGrace]

I, too have a little girl that was hen-pecked on her bottom last night....Found the blood this morning. I have since upped their protein, put a whole head of cabbage in the coop, let them play outside all day, and turned the red light bulb on inside the coop house. Now, I am going to try to bath her bottom a bit to clean off the old blood and tend to the wound if necessary.

Does anyone have any brilliant insight into how I should go about bathing a chicken, without traumatizing the chicken or myself?

Thanks, you all are so great I don't know what my birds and I would do without this forum!

 

[LilysChickens]

I have 4 girls and 2 surprise roosters. I don't know who the bully is but I suspect the alpha male, Big Papa. This is our first year with chickens and I thought maybe this was just normal behavior but every one of my girls are pecked raw. Should I remove the roosters? I've already found a home for Big Papa if he needs it. They are fluffy and fat otherwise. Thanks.

 

[Gloria o]

I have a hen that's have being on the bottom. I bought peck no more. I don't think it works.. Then I heard to put athlete foot spray then put Diatomaceous - food grade. I haven't done it yet. I might just separate them. What do u think?