Tail Plucking

[kalaim]

I brought home 3 bantam cochins and one had been in beat up by a rooster already.

It is missing it's tail feathers and some neck feathers. The two other bantams that are with it keep picking at the new feathers that are trying to grow back in.

How can I get them to stop and let her get her pretty bushy tail grow in?
If I separate them, how long will it take for it to grow in? I hate to have her by herself.

Thanks!

 

[Omran]

Hi,be carful of seperating them again,because when you put them back together they will start all over again,best way if you have a big run you can seperate them with putting a mech wire in between so they still see each other, that way when you take the wire away they won't pick on her again.
Good Luck.

 

[debilorrah]

Are they pecking or preening? Hard pecks is pecking, soft ones is preening - removing old stuff so new can grow in. There is a difference, I believe.

 

[Ladysonja]

I had tail feather plucking going on with my little ones when I moved them out to the coop/run.

If you do not have bloody wound from the tail feathers being plucked, leave them be...

If you have a blood, the others will pick on tail area because they are drawn to the red wound. I put neosporan (sp?) on the wound.

I only seperated the white colored girl long enough for some of the tail feathers to grow back and the bloody area to heal. It was about a week. I put her back in at night and all is well today.

Good Luck with your flock.

 

[Reinbeau]

Put Vicks Vap-O-Rub on the behind of the chick that's getting pecked. The smell will keep the others from pecking.

 

[kalaim]

There isn't any blood, they are only about 10 weeks old.

When I brought them home, the farmer showed me her pin feathers coming in, and now they are all gone.

I did see one of the other come up behind her and pull one out and she gave quite a yelp, so it must have hurt.

I'll try the Vicks trick, that sounds interesting.

Thanks!

 

[pjbarb]

I have the same problem, they are about 10 weeks and I caught one hen running around pulling those little fuzzy feathers underneath everyone elses tails out. I had a bad experience with another flock that just kept plucking until nothing was left. I seperated her tonight and put her with some older chickens to see if she would stop or just annoy them. Trust me it is a serious problem if it continues, if you find a solution please let me know I would hate this to happen to my new flock...

 

[Reinbeau]

Rub Vicks Vap-O-Rub on their little hinies. Seriously. It soothes them and the smell will keep the plucker from plucking.