Scientific Studies on Food Wastage and Feather Picking! :)

[monarc23]

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a770938370

The just of it is, giving birds stuff to forage on (like grasses and what not) are prooven to cut down on feed wastage!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I didn't read it (have WAY too much stuff to do!) but a friend of mine told me that feather picking is due to low protein and boredom? He said that with his bobwhites, he has been told to hang a head of lettuce in the pen for them to pick at. There were many other things that he said, but he says he doesn't have any problems with bobwhites killing each other. I should call him again and write it all down.

 

[chicken_angler]

Quote:
I give mine all sorts of treats. I give them bread, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, scratch grain, grass, small branches to eat, etc. I wouldnt hang a whole head of cabbage or lettuce in my quail pen because they just wouldnt eat it. Most of it would go to waste. I do give them little pieces of lettuce.

I usually hang a whole head in my chicken pen and its gone in two or three hours. The quail are very curious about anything that goes into their pen. It takes them a while to realize that its food! lol

Cody!!

 

[monarc23]

I just got 3 Tenn Red quail yesterday, they look pretty rough but were in a large breeding pen. I'm hoping they feather out again since I only have a trio now.

Nw my issue is i dont know if i have 2 females and one roo or not

My friend I got htem from thinks 2 hens and a roo but I looked up how to tell online and cant find a clear cut info lol.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I think it was more for distraction purposes, rather than for food. Obviously they could eat it, but it would give them something to peck, other than each other.

 

[Ironsun]

Hi,

I hang up old cd or dvd discs up for them to peck at, since using them I've had no problems with feather plucking.

You can also use a buch of hemp twine strands hung up too, they play with this for hours.

Ironsun.