The very next hen that pecks at my polish's crest...

[zzGypsy]

useful to know. I wouldn't mind having a few, but just haven't because it hardly seems fair to the chicken to be such a target. I've got pine tar, we use it on the horses' hooves. thanks!

 

[stcroixusvi]

subscribing.

I have almost given up on solutions.

 

[Czech's_chicks]

My grow pen has already been thinned and made into 2 pens, but it's just my polish roos that are having their 'do' pecked out. I really don't want to separate again, but will probably have to just to save their poor little heads. They are almost 4 months.

 

[chicktwins]

So happy to hear about the pine tar!! I will definitely try it. I have a rogue Lt. Brahma that thinks its sole purpose in life is to ruin the polishes do!! Someone just may be on my list here soon if it (don't know if roo or pullet) doesn't chill out. Where do I get pine tar? I know I could try to find it but I am getting ready to scoot off to work and do not have the time this second to figure it out myself so any suggestions would be great so I can just come back later and see.

 

[stoopid]

Another item for my shopping list. My poor Spitzhauben roo is bald!

 

[chicktwins]

The Lt. Brahma I was talking about is so mean about it and uses its feet to try and land on top of Cruella to hold her down while it pecks!!! It's hackles spring forward and it jumps at her feet first. Do hens act this way or should I be pretty positive this is a roo?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
My hens are pretty wicked fighters too. Not all the time fighting but every once in awhile one chicken will do something to tick another chicken off. Funny thing is the chickens didn't bother my polish pullet (now MIA after a predator attack) crest, only the cockerels.

Be prepared, pine tar is extremely messy to apply. I usually just get a plastic spoon or knife and use the handle of it to apply; then throw the plastic utensil away.

You can find it in the equine (horse) section of many feed stores. It's used to treat horses hooves. Comes in a little can, looks like a pint paint can. Don't worry if it says on the label something like "not for internal consumption". They don't ingest enough to make them sick.

 

[Nostalchic]

I tried pine tar (and everything else I could think of or heard about) on my little Polish roo when I had this problem. I'm sorry to report that nothing helped - they pecked his head bloody. I finally pulled what was left of his crest up into a little topnot and secured it with a tiny rubber band (the kind you use for braiding horses' manes) and that helped some. Just wanted to let you know - pine tar makes a sticky, awful mess and is virtually impossible to get off of feathers AND it really didn't work at all for me - they still pecked at it - so I would NOT recommend that. This is such a miserable, frustrating situation - I ended up separating him from my hens and eventually rehoming him.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Sorry you had to rehome him.
I started using pine tar several years ago when my partially blind little hen Lil'Bit was getting picked on by the other birds in her flock. It worked and she grew up fine. It does eventually wear off.

 

[chicktwins]

I am willing to try anything. I have 5 polishes and have no idea if any roo's. I will try anything and everything before rehoming them because they are my favorites. So sweet and cuddly, they are like little dogs. My husband will hate every second but I think next summer I may just have him convert the other stall in the barn to another coop for the polishes. Even just half of it would work. I actually think once we get the outside run finally finished they wont be so bored and leave each other alone. I have been putting different snacks and stuff in the coop to give them something to forage for to try and break up the monotony. Anyway, pine tar will be a definite purchase in the near future.