updateanyone use hot pick w/ good results? need help w/bloody feathers

[lalaland]

6 pullets, (2 5 wk olds, 4 8wk olds), very large grassy run, smaller coop area. Last week noticed two of the older pullets had bloody feather stubs in the tail area. I tried a wound spray which apparently stung like the dickens, called "blue wound spray". Got blue kote instead, sprayed well. Added a hay bale in the run, yogurt in the morning, sunflower chips mixed into the feed. I added roosts to the coop area to provide another way to get away or be out of the way. Turned off the light at night (even though it is mid 40's at night). Still bloody feather stubs oozing blood, which I treat with the blue kote asap.

Now a chick has bloody toes, also treated with blue kote. I also tried a vinegar water spray which was supposed to repel the picker, but it hasn't helped. Picking has slowed down, but continues - say 3-4 times a day.

the 4 chicks who aren't getting picked pick on the other two, the two victims don't pick on anyone based on weekend heavy observation. The two pullets being picked on are about 8 week olds, one a buff orpington and one an easter egger. worst pickers are their counterparts, a buff orpington, and an easter egger - but the little chicks have learned to peck at the victims, too.

Never had this problem. I tried duct tape as suggested on one post, but can't seem to get it to stick - the pullet just pulls it off.

If I try wrapping the pullet in a tee shirt type cover, how will she preen those feathers? they are still growing feathers and spend a lot of time getting the little quill covering off....

Has anyone tried hot pick?
any other suggestions? I'm afraid I'll come home to a dead chick at this rate.

I'm flummoxed, never had this problem and this is the 5th batch of chicks I've raised, and this is the smallest group, too.

 

[Judy]

I'd sure get the two who are getting pecked and are bloody out of there before you have full blown cannibalism on your hands. Other than that, I don't have a solution for you.

I don't see why hot pick would work since you can add cayenne pepper to the feed (supposed to prevent worms) and it does not bother them. I have read that pine tar does work, but is messy, of course. (Available in horse supplies.)

I have not had to deal with this. From what I have read, space is probably the biggest factor, maybe protein needs the second, but you have already offered extra protein. 4 sq ft per bird in the coop and 10 sq ft per bird in the run is evidently not always enough for some birds. Mine have a lot more space than that -- but then I have lost some to predators, and only the coops are predator proof. But then you say the run is large.

I wonder if the two that are getting pecked are defective in some way, and the others sense this?

I have read that Buff Orps can be easy targets because they are so docile. EE's seem to have a lot of variation in personality. Maybe you just have two wimps and four pushy birds.

I guess you could buy some peepers. I don't even know if you can put them on birds that are that small.

Good luck.

 

[lalaland]

thats a good point about the hot pick - i didn't think about all the people who give their chickens cayenne. Think I'll skip that.

I can get the two out of there, but I don't have a good place to put them - just in the largest dog kennel carry case- I actually did that for an hour but the buff orpington pullet was distressed and wouldn't settle down. The ee is sort of a spacey girl, wanders on her own, etc and she would be fine alone. The buff wants to be with the others. Yes, I know, isolation would be preferable to cannibalisim.

I could also integrate them early with the other flock - have been working towards that but the two little ones seem way to small to do that.

I have to go to work early tomorrow, will put them in the run at 5 am when it will be darned chilly but I'ld rather they were in the run with the space than in the coop. Tomorrow night I'll try making tshirt wraps, but I am not spacial at all and don't hold out a lot of hope that I can figure out where the darned holes should go for feet and neck, and shouldn't you have holes for the wings?

 

[ivan3]

Kim_NC suggests `imitation grape' soda. The methyl anthranilate apparently disgusts avians. I found the ref. below while hunting down other sources:

Grape Kool-Aid
A product right off the grocery shelf can be used to deter birds. Grape-flavored Kool-Aid
contains a grape compound called methyl anthranilate. The compound has a flavor that is very
distasteful to birds. To repel birds in blueberries, cherries and grapes, mix 4 packets of grape
Kool-Aid in one gallon of water and spray the plant and the fruit when the fruit begin to color and
attract birds. Several applications during the season may be necessary.

From: http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/homegarden/pdf/bird_protection.pdf

Might mix up some of the sugar free formulation in a spray bottle and add a squirt of betadine to to make a disinfecting/antipick solution. Haven't tried this yet so can't vouch for degree of effectiveness.

Good luck!​

 

[lalaland]

wow, I've never heard of the grape koolaid thing!

today went well, I had them outside at the crack of dawn, and when I got home from work there was only one tiny stub with a drop of dried blood - I did blue kote the two being picked on again just in case - they really hate the blue kote.

I'm going to look into the grape koolaid thing.
thanks for the help

 

[purpletree23]

If blue wound spray stings then I would think that hot pick would also. I agree that you have the the pecked chickens out of there. I did have a case where one of my chicks was getting picked on. I took her and another one out ( for company) until the bleeding and redness went away. It took less time than I expected. I washed her wound and did use neosporin. When I reintroduced the two I did it when the other chickens were free ranging (an older lady down the road suggested that) and no one seemed to notice. No problems since.

Good luck.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

well my advise is the fact that the chickens need to be allowed to get out in the run on their own at the am time

is it that they can't get out the door at all unless you put them there?

this is why they are picking

as for the grape koll aid I am not sure I would start something so messy at this time

what they need is for you to hand a head of cabbage wrapped in chicken wire humg from the ceiling to about 12 inches off the floor

and add a feeder of whole oats
also a feeder of granite grit

these two items give them nutritional needs and busy work
you still feed grower crumbles to tham also

they need the wet mash probiotic recipe three times a week also
email me for the recipe

their problem is with nutritional needs and boredom

so try and open the door early letting them out in the run
if they can't do this make it so they can

the older ones know that the younger ones are guionea pigs for their bad treatment

chickens learn early to pick
all it takes is one picker and they all join in

keep us posted on the improvement of these birds

email me for any questions

 

[lalaland]

they have to wait til I let them out because they are segrated from the big hens until they are old enough to be combined - they are in a fenced off section of the coop. If they go out on their own, they would be in the big hens territory.

I generally have them in the run by 5 or 6 am unless it was 45 degrees or colder.

I picked some zucchini tonight for them to pick at tomorrow - it is supposed to be bad storms and I think they will have to stay inside because of the severe storms predicted.

Glenda, I have your probiotic mash recipe from another thread - and they do have granite grit free choice - I just sift it to get the smaller grit for the chicks.

After I got home I sacrificed broccoli from my garden for them, tied to the fence so they could pick at it.

right now there is only an occasional peck, more of an absent minded peck instead of the previous deliberate go out of your way to go peck at them. There isn't any red for the pullets to see to pick, so separating only makes sense if the theory is that the others will "forget" to pick at them.

I am going to try to mingle the flocks this weekend which will give them bigger run and bigger coop space, although I do not believe the run space is the problem.

you are definitely right that it is learned behavior.
thanks so much for all the help.

 

[lalaland]

Only thing that really worked was: duct tape! made a patch by sticking it on the back, under the wings, and adding a horizontal piece over the tail feathers.

It comes off in a couple of days, and I replace it. Her tail feathers get eaten again when it comes off, I'm hoping when she is fully feathered the problem will be finished.

She preens right on top of the duct tape, and is quite used to it now.

Still adding extra protein, treats, and have integrated the pullets with the big girls so there is tons of room