Pine Tar Primer please

[Shalva]

I think I can put this here ... can someone give me a quick primer on how to use pine tar. I am going to rehome a few barred rocks that appear to be picking on my buff orpingtons. I am pretty sure it is the rocks that are doing it as they seem to be in nice feather and the orps all look pretty ratty ... so my plan is to rehome the rocks.... however in the meantime I have several very bad looking orpingtons... one whose lower back has been picked right off and under her vent and down has also been picked off...

I bought the pine tar but am really not clear as to how to use it. I would love if someone who has experience with it could give me a quick primer and maybe some helpful hints from experience.
I have it here but i haven't opened it yet .... I want to be sure that I know what i am doing before I go at it....

thanks

 

[QuirkySue]

I bought a can of that too as a last resort. It is super thick, stinky, and messy. I used an old rag to smear it on. Try not to touch anything else and have a garbage handy. ( if its too cold it will be waaaay too thick/hard. Warming it up a little toward room temp might help) It lasts quite a while and was better than the red stop pick stuff I tried.

I'm still pretty new, hopefully somebody with more experience chimes in.

 

[aart]

Have you tried to find out the possible causes and corrections for this?
I agree sounds like a last resort...and a darn messy one. How would you ever get it back off, wouldn't it ruin their feathers??

 

[QuirkySue]

I tried stop pick - its red! and needed to be applied 4 times a day! Vick's menthol rub, then pine tar, then blukote aerosol. I upped protein and gave them more space... they still pick on that one cuckoo Marans and she's not even the smallest. I can't find aprons to buy and can't sew so she never has feathers on her tail. Thankfully no vent pecking!

 

[Shalva]

mine seem to be doing a little better but my barred rocks just seem to be too bossy for the buff orps. we have tried the bluekote and i went to the agway and they recommended the pine tar... but I am not all that sure how it works and I want to be sure I know what i am doing ...