Pinless Peeper/Poultry Blinders?

[pemphredo]

:::bump:::

Does anyone who use these have a nipple water system and can you tell me how they work with your chickens trying to get water out of the nipples?

did you ever try it with the chicken nipple watering system? I just ordered pinless peepers and have a chicken nipple watering system... I wonder how it works out...

 

[jschoff]

These pinless peepers are great! I see how everyone says this is a two person job. I had no one to help so I coughed up for the pliers and it made it very easy to do by myself. Used a fishing net to catch the major offender and tucked her under my left arm, held her head with my left hand, picked up the pliers and peepers with my right and they went right on with no problem! Took less than twenty seconds and this with chickens that have never been picked up.

 

[Bukbuk Betty]

How exactly do you get the chicken to hold still while putting the peepers on (or taking them off).

Do you hold the chicken by the beak? If not, how else do you restrain the chicken?
Is this a two-person job?

Please describe in detail how to put them on and take them off.

I have heard that you can warm them in very hot water. I tried this, and they became quite pliable but the chicken would not hold still! I am not sure how adding pliers to the equation would help me.

1. This is WAY easier with two people. I really don't think I'd have had a very good time doing this alone.
2. One person holds the bird, I held it against my chest, wings to the birds body. The other person has a pair loaded onto a pair of snap ring pliers (get them at the hardware store, not where you bought your peepers... way cheaper), and holds the birds head with their free hand to install them. I can't imagine doing it without the pliers, but I guess some folks do so successfully.
3. We found that what worked for us was getting one side into the nostril first, then checking the other side to line it up. Trying to get both sides at once without just closing the nostril was kind of hard. Actually, I think they'd be a lot easier to install if the nose-pegs weren't so blunt. Not sure I want to spend my evenings whittling peepers though, but I digress.....
4. Softening the peepers in very hot water helped somewhat.
Some birds fussed a lot more than some, but we were just patient and the more immobile you can keep the bird the easier it is, and less stressful for the birds perhaps.

Using the snap-ring pliers to remove the peepers was easier as they can't see the pliers coming right in front of them

Two things that I will watch out for in the future, using peepers, are:
1.I have 2 roosters. Both had peepers put on. About 2 weeks in, I came into the coop to find both of them covered in blood, as one rooster had managed to get his peepers off and then went free-for-all on the rooster that still had his on. I cleaned them up, and removed the remaining peepers so he could at least fend for himself. They sorted it out ok in the end, but it WAS startling.
2. An older bird I noticed had some swelling around her nostrils and I gather it had gotten infected somehow after wearing the peepers for a few weeks. Removed the peepers and used saline solution to clean her up. She was a bit sicky for a bit but has since come around. ( I did boil the peepers before putting them on the birds to sterilize them, so I'm guessing something got stuck there)

Some food for thought.

 

[jschoff]

I really had no trouble doing this myself. As long as you have the pliers it is a cinch. I placed the peepers on a flat surface in the correct upright position, with the pliers lined up right in front them. Then I picked up a chicken and placed it well back under my left arm. Then I picked up the pliers with my right hand and grabbed the peepers with the pliers. I did not bother to soften them in warm water, as they open easily with the pliers. I was holding the chicken in place with my left elbow and slid my left hand up the chickens neck to the back of the head and held it steady and just lined up with the nostrils and released the handles of the pliers. Took less than ten seconds. The first time I did have to put the pliers down and adjust the chicken back farther so I could get my hand on the head. After that I knew enough to keep the chicken well back and hold with the elbow. I did have a barn jacket on which gave me a lot of surface area to hold the chicken in place. I also practiced grabbing the peepers and opening them half a dozen times. I was amazed at how easy it was. It would be easier with two people, but that is not an option for me.

 

[chrissyr]

Ok I got some orange peepers. They seem like they'd really be tight and painful. My hubby refuses to help me put them on because it looks mean.
Can anyone give me input on how these don't hurt them? Hopefully they're the right size. Just seems like they punch hard in the middle

 

[jschoff]

I don't believe the chickens have any feeling in their beaks and it does not block their breathing. I really do not think it hurts them at all. Mine have been on for a couple of months with no problems. I think it is better than letting them rip each others feathers out or peck each other bloody. Don't bother with the hubby, you can do this yourself. Practice with the pliers before picking up the chicken.

 

[chrissyr]

I don't believe the chickens have any feeling in their beaks and it does not block their breathing.  I really do not think it hurts them at all.  Mine have been on for a couple of months with no problems. I think it is better than letting them rip each others feathers out or peck each other bloody.  Don't bother with the hubby, you can do this yourself.  Practice with the pliers before picking up the chicken.

I agree.
I don't have the pliers so perhaps should get them. Looks easier with them. Are there different sized peepers?

 

[jschoff]

I think they may come in two sizes. Small for bantams and regular for standard chickens. Get the pliers, I think it would be impossible to do alone without them.

 

[yackety27]

so i have a girl molting and these sound good and all but i do not like the fact that they go in the nostrils is there a similar item that doesnt involve the nostrils

 

[Bukbuk Betty]

did you ever try it with the chicken nipple watering system? I just ordered pinless peepers and have a chicken nipple watering system... I wonder how it works out...

My birds seemed to get the nipple waterer figured despite the peepers, but i did leave a tip pail waterer out too just in case.