trim beak to prevent feather plucking?

[tammye]

can I trim the tip off of a beak? how if so and will this help to prevent feather plucking. I have a 18 month old BO who has a serious addition to feathers, she is a great hen, good layer and very sweet to me, but my lord, you watch her for five minutes and she has plucked a feather from all her flock mates, she can bald a butt overnight. The other hens are starting to defend themselfs from her and I don't want them to be mean to her either, even thought she deserves it. peepers scared me, never mine her, she eats bag balm, vaselins, lavender oil, slips under hen aprons to get feathers, I have tried to increase protein with boss, less treats and am now doing separation, but that is time comsuming when you work and have a life, then it screws up the pecking order. I need a way to stop this, I will not cull her, like I said she is a good little hen. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

 

[Zoomom]

Don't be scared to try the peepers-just get PINLESS peepers...they won't hurt her. You can take them off when she is behaving.
Trimming the beak you might cut too deep and it will bleed and hurt. The way they trim beaks with they are chicks is a permanent disfigurement.
Hope this helps.

 

[7L Farm]

I'd try the peepers before I trimmed their beak. I had no luck with the peepers but others have . I even let mine free range while wearing the pe

epers.

 

[deerman]

Peeper are more to keep males from fighting(pheasants), use Bits just like a horse bit , they go between the two beaks , she will be able to eat and see fine, just not able to pinch skin or hold tight on a feather. You can remove later if you want to try her again

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Never heard of those where do you get them. Makes alot of sense.

 

[deerman]

no need for the pliers , most ones around the house will work, the bits are cheap.


http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_109

 

[tammye]

so from the picture i see here from 7l farms pinless peepers, I believe I may have put them on wrong, poor girls, no wonder why they hated them. So, the whole unit basically sits on top of the beak? with only the small posts placed into the nostrils, how does that stop them from plucking? when I did have it on that way, it came right off, so I tried to slip the beak into the "square" with the posts in the nose and the lower straight plactic strip under the beak, but that seemed like she could not open her mouth enough to eat, boy I need some instructions.

 

[patman75]

I have the peepers on a few hens that were causing problems. With the peepers, added protien like BOSS, liver, meat scraps, entertainment with hanging cabbages and flock blocks they have stopped with the pecking and everyone feathers have grown back.