Pinless Peepers

[Chwicks]

Chwicks--Did you end up getting the peepers? Just curious if you've seen any issues with condensation, if so. I have one hen whose apparent sole purpose in life is just to pick out her sisters' feathers to be a jerk--it's not a protein issue for her, she just does it because she can, I don't know. She's always done it, even in the spring and summer with 15 acres to roam but of course now that it's winter and they don't go out nearly as much, she's a lot worse...to the point of several hens with bare butts and one with no outer feathers all across her chest!! She's not my only picker but she's the worst and most consistent one. I still have been letting them out on fairly decent days and they really enjoyed having grass to eat again this past week with the warmer temps. Although, I did keep them in for over 2 weeks after a very close call with a hawk for two of them. Most of them don't mind a little snow and even if all they do is hang out in the lean-to area outside the human door, it's at least more space and something to do. I bought an arsenal of toys, like you, including a xylophone (which they're afraid of), a big mirror, jingle balls, suet holders with occasional greens and treat cakes, and a hanging loofah thingy that I can tell hasn't been touched. It's like they just want to be outside and don't give a darn about toys. They liked the mirror for like 3 days and they like the suet holders with stuff in them, but other than that...waste of money. And winter is JUST getting started... I don't know whether to separate her for awhile or get the peepers. She doesn't seem to care if I "scold" her or give her a "time out" (holding her, which she HATES! lol). She'll go right back to it.

Sorry...didn't mean to hijack your thread...just commiserating.

Hi there, and I’m SO, SO sorry for my delay in getting back you.

I did purchase the peepers, and I put them on several of our girls. I HATED doing it, but I didn’t have any other choice. I think I had 8 girls that had the peepers on at one point. If someone pulled a feather out of another girl, they got peepers. I also introduced lots of clutter into their run (e.g. added a pallet and leaned it against a log, added a full sheet of lattice against a wall of the run for girls to get behind, introduced a couple new toys, etc.). The pecking issue improved wonderfully!!! I did cull two hens that were just pains in the rear (we raise dual purpose birds, so culling birds is part of our flock management). They were both two of the smaller birds in our flock that didn’t make great breeding stock, feather pickers, and one already had a hole in her back from the other chickens pecking her (though it was healing well).

I can’t emphasize how much I hate putting the peepers on them, but I know the alternative, and the peepers are the lesser of the two evils. I haven’t had any issues with frostbite, and we’ve had really cold temps (-20s). The girls seem to do fine with the peepers, and we have got it down to only two of them needing them at this point in time. That number may change (up or down), but they work REALLY well.

I’’m hoping I won’t need them on any of the girls, in time, but we will see how things progress.

I hope you find a good solution for your girl. I know how frustrating it can be to try and find solutions. I was on the verge of tears at one point with ours.

It seems like if it isn’t one thing, it’s another with these chickens. Now my cockerel (a few months shy of rooster status) is targeting one of my pullets.

If I were you, I’d get the peepers. You could try separation, but I didn’t have much success with it. And, I found that the others seemed to get more puckish if there was one bad apple in the lot. It seems like when I take the peepers off the girls are so amazed by their new view of the world that feather pecking isn’t a priority. I’m hoping they don’t pick the behavior up again.

I hope that helps, and sorry if I rambled a bit. Lol Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. I’m happy to help..

 

[chickenmomma16]

Hi there, and I’m SO, SO sorry for my delay in getting back you.

I did purchase the peepers, and I put them on several of our girls. I HATED doing it, but I didn’t have any other choice. I think I had 8 girls that had the peepers on at one point. If someone pulled a feather out of another girl, they got peepers. I also introduced lots of clutter into their run (e.g. added a pallet and leaned it against a log, added a full sheet of lattice against a wall of the run for girls to get behind, introduced a couple new toys, etc.). The pecking issue improved wonderfully!!! I did cull two hens that were just pains in the rear (we raise dual purpose birds, so culling birds is part of our flock management). They were both two of the smaller birds in our flock that didn’t make great breeding stock, feather pickers, and one already had a hole in her back from the other chickens pecking her (though it was healing well).

I can’t emphasize how much I hate putting the peepers on them, but I know the alternative, and the peepers are the lesser of the two evils. I haven’t had any issues with frostbite, and we’ve had really cold temps (-20s). The girls seem to do fine with the peepers, and we have got it down to only two of them needing them at this point in time. That number may change (up or down), but they work REALLY well.

I’’m hoping I won’t need them on any of the girls, in time, but we will see how things progress.

I hope you find a good solution for your girl. I know how frustrating it can be to try and find solutions. I was on the verge of tears at one point with ours.

It seems like if it isn’t one thing, it’s another with these chickens. Now my cockerel (a few months shy of rooster status) is targeting one of my pullets.

If I were you, I’d get the peepers. You could try separation, but I didn’t have much success with it. And, I found that the others seemed to get more puckish if there was one bad apple in the lot. It seems like when I take the peepers off the girls are so amazed by their new view of the world that feather pecking isn’t a priority. I’m hoping they don’t pick the behavior up again.

I hope that helps, and sorry if I rambled a bit. Lol Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. I’m happy to help..

This is just the subject I was searching for!
How long did you leave them on?
I have Ameraucanas and all the hens are beard picking. It’s driving me absolutely crazy! Its partly out of boredom because they haven’t had any free range time due to my dog being highly allergic to chicken poop and I just need a break from her health problems and scratching!!! So, they’ve been locked up and despite their run being covered they hang out inside most of the day. But it started right after a particularly yummy feast of apples and it ended up all over their fluffy beards and, well I guess apple flavored beard tastes good.... They eat an all flock type feed (20% protein) so I doubt it’s feed related.
Think peepers would work in my case? I’m ready to try anything.


So I’m considering putting peepers on until their beards grow back and I’ll be separating some of the hens into smaller flocks.

 

[aart]

So I’m considering putting peepers on until their beards grow back and I’ll be separating some of the hens into smaller flocks.

My bearded birds lost all their facial glory one year.
They would calmly sit and eat each others face feathers.
I didn't do a thing about it.
When feathers came back in after the next molt I hardly recognized them.
Blinders might work, but the feathers already gone may not grow back until molting time.

 

[chickenmomma16]

My bearded birds lost all their facial glory one year.
They would calmly sit and eat each others face feathers.
I didn't do a thing about it.
When feathers came back in after the next molt I hardly recognized them.
Blinders might work, but the feathers already gone may not grow back until molting time.

In my case, I have reason to believe they will grow back. I separated my older cock who had his beard cleanly plucked (by the quil) and his grew back right away.

Rooster version of a 5:00 shadow: