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Post by lakelands on Mar 21, 2009 19:35:36 GMT 8
I took my new bantam BLG wyandottes out of their smallish coop today to give them a run out on the grass and found that they have been pulling the feathers out of each other butts. More concerning is that one of the little pullets has been attacked quite horribly and her butt is red raw and bleeding. After watching them for a while it appears that the cockeral is the main culpret (he's only just gone back into the pen with the girls as he hadn't been feeling very well and had been seperated into a cage in the house so that I could keep an eye on him) Needless to say I have now seperated the little cockeral back into his isolation cage and the one with the bleeding butt into a another seperate cage. Does any one know what causes chickens to do this and also what is the best way to stop them doing it. They range in ages from 9 weeks to 15 weeks if that has any relevance. I did notice they had no feathers on their butts when I bought them and the guy did say they had been feather pecking. so I wonder will they keep on doing it.
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Post by rap on Mar 21, 2009 21:29:00 GMT 8
Feather pecking is some times started by one hen and then others pick up the habit.Bleeding can encourage them even more its a good idea to separate them when this happens. Often put down to boredom confined spaces lack of exercise and mineral deficiency,can also lead to cannibalism.Some of the old poultry books say to hang a net bag up high with green food in. The birds then have to jump to get the food which makes them exercise. It gives them something to do.Treat wounds by dabbing on Stockholm tar.I have seen in some bad cases chickens disembowel each other.If it doesn't stop you should cull the offenders.
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Post by lakelands on Mar 21, 2009 22:12:02 GMT 8
Oh I hope they do stop. It took me such a long time to find my blues. I did read that forage foods is a good option which I assume to mean greens. I will keep them seperated until the one heals up completely then introduce her back to the other pullets and then try the cockerel again.
Hopefully they will have a much bigger pen with in the next couple of weeks so that may also help
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Post by rap on Mar 21, 2009 22:21:37 GMT 8
I hope they do stop its a horrible thing to see.But if they don't stop it make sure you eat it before the others do! Roast chicken yum
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Post by lakelands on Mar 22, 2009 8:58:00 GMT 8
LOL be a bit like eating squab. Not much meat and lots of little bones....Hope it doesn't come to that I still haven'y worked up the guts to eat any of my chookens yet
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Post by horses7 on Mar 22, 2009 12:24:09 GMT 8
I was talking to another breeder yesterday about this same problem, and what he thought it was is a mineral defiency and he gives his young ones crushed shell grit and also crushes up a mineral block and gives it to them and he reckons he doesnt have any feather picking, so needless to say I am going to give it a go as a couple of mine have started doing this.
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Post by rap on Mar 22, 2009 13:06:47 GMT 8
Hi Lakelands A large bag of crushed shell grit from city farmers in Joondalup cost 25kgs for $15
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Post by beck on Mar 22, 2009 13:32:18 GMT 8
eww rap the feather pecking sound bad i have 3 light sussex picking on mu buff cochin at the momment and now they are going to get it little S O B 's i am thinking of selling them anyway but mu hubby wanted to keep them i think i will win lol they are my chooks ...BUT he does all the renovations and even feeds them most of the time lately..
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Post by lakelands on Mar 22, 2009 13:38:34 GMT 8
. Thanks H7 and Rap. I will get some shell grit and do you know if the mineral block would be the same as you give to horses or is there a special chook one? Beck maybe you'll have to work out some kind of trade off with your OH 3 light sussex for ? or maybe he can build a special run just for them
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Post by jacquie on Mar 22, 2009 17:40:15 GMT 8
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Post by lakelands on Mar 23, 2009 6:09:21 GMT 8
Excellent info Jackie. I am pretty sure they have a habit that will be hard to break as they had already started it before I bought them. So I will just keep them seperated for now and hopefully after the feathers drow back I will put them back together and they will have forgetten about it Once I do put them back together it will be in a larger pen and I will give them plenty of things to explore
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Post by beck on Mar 23, 2009 9:55:51 GMT 8
sounds good Carolyn about the sussex lol.. but also the plan to stop the pecking but they will probably still have a scuffle to work out who's the boss so hopefully it will not start the feather pecking again
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Post by rap on Mar 23, 2009 10:05:14 GMT 8
Feather pecking can also cause crop binding.
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Post by lakelands on Mar 23, 2009 14:56:25 GMT 8
crikey it just gets worse new I should have stayed with mongrel breeds LOL
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Post by lakelands on Mar 30, 2009 12:27:13 GMT 8
Just though I would give you an update.....The cockrel will have to go..... I have had them seperated for about a week. I got shell grit. and ground it up a bit more as it was quite big pieces. I added a mineral suppliment to their water. I gave them lucerne chaff and a cabbage ball hanging from the roof. The 3 girls have been fine. I re-introduced the Cockeral on Sunday watched them for a while and all seemed to be ok. Went off and left them to it came back in about an hour and the one poor little pullet had been pecked bare again. I watched just to check who was the the culpret and low and behold the bl**dy little cockeral chased her down and gave her what for. Needless to say. He has now been seperated again......Not sure if I should keep him. Or just keep him in a seperate pen for a month or so then try again ....bloodthirsty little b*gger
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