question about pinless peepers

[AK_Button_Mama]

I bought some pinless peepers and pliers to put on a few of my bully chickens. I tried to use the darn things and I cant figure out how to get them on the chickens without pinching thier nostrils shut. does any one have any recomendations? or experience with them or should I sell the flippin things and deal with bully chickens?

there were no instructions included with them either! and the pliers were 20 bucks and dont seem to work to open the things up wide enuff to get them on them!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

We have about 3/4 of our flock in peepers right now b/c they got stuck inside when we had a huge snow this winter and got into a bad pecking habit. I'm sorry that you bought the special pliers--they are just snap-ring pliers and can be had from any hardware store for $6.

Mine open wide enough, but not much more than "enough" without shooting off into space. The way I put the peepers on is to either get help, or to sit on a bale of shavings with the chicken between my legs and her wings pinned down. Slip the prongs of the pliers into the nose piece of the peepers from the top, so the handles are pointing up. Hold the chicken's head still with one hand, use the other hand with the pliers to put the peepers in one nostril then allow to close onto the other nostril. Wiggle them to make sure they're seated well. Then jump the heck out of the way b/c there's going to be a wild ball of chicken explode out of there to figure out how to get them off! They get used to them in less than half an hour.

While the peepers stick into the nostril, they don't pinch them shut. They may start out pinching them shut a little, but then once the hen wiggles them around and scratches at them, they're fine. Mine have been wearing them for three weeks, no problems.

Give the peepers another chance. They've saved three of my hens from the stewpot, b/c these hens were starting to take the feather plucking cannibalistic until the peepers were put on. I can't say enough good things about them.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

SO I have a few smaller birds they weight about a pound and a half those things go right on thier nostrils and it looks like it hurts. do the things go IN the nostril or do I just put them on the area that the nostril is and they will get them stuck where they are suppose to be... the bigger birds it sets in nice! looks not so comfy but like they will get used to it!My concern is for the smaller birds. I just dont want to kill them or hurt them at all.

do you birds have issues with finding the nest box or thier food?

 

[Momo]

The prongs go in the nostrils. They may be too big for the little fellers, in which case you'd need a product sized for juvenile pheasants.

As for putting them on, I soaked 'em in hot water first to make them more pliable and just slipped them on by hand.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

the smaller ones I just put them on. the dont go IN the nostril. the go over it and when they sneeze it makes this "bargh" sound like a honk almost. is it to small for them? the other biger birds are fine now that I got some assistance from a friend. the smaller birds seem to be able to breath fine they just honk when they sneeze.... I am jsut worried that they will injure them or damage thier nose.... the bad thing is the small birds are the mean ones....

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

I took them off the one small hen it looked like it hurt her... I feel so bad. I watched her and she doesnt seem to be pecking any one right now. I will keep a eye on her to make sure the behaviour doesnt return. perhaps having it on for 2 days will adjust her attitude!