The Poultry Keeper

Nicschickens

Hi again, yet another very stressed post from me Sad

I've had my 4 girls a week now, and it just seems to have been disaster after disaster Crying or Very sad

. My Amber Star, Marilyn, had a soft egg a couple of days ago which made her feel under the weather, but has now develped a new problem...she's pulling the feathers out of the other girls backsides, but especially Gingers (who is bottom in the pecking order) who now has a bleeding wound there Crying or Very sad

The other girls are sporting bald patches as well.

I've seperated Marilyn off, and her breeder says she will take her back tomorrow if I want, am just wondering if I'm doing the right thing? Might the stress of the laying problem have caused the vent pecking? They're in a 5' x 9' run, so I'd have thought that was plenty big enough for 4. I thought hybrids were supposed to be placid Crying or Very sad

I appear to be jinxed Crying or Very sad

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 494 Location: Suffolk

Sorry to hear your problems. I'm new to this too, don't really know what to suggest, but it sounds like you've done the right thing by separating her. it's so disheartening, when you first get your hens and have problems. We did, with ours, with illness and losing one - still don't know where she went.

It will all be ok eventually and hopefully you'll be able to enjoy the wonderful world that is hens soon. Very Happy

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon. Just wanted to show support!

Nicschickens · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the support, much appreciated Cool

I just hope it'll get more enjoyable soon!

CP · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:20 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear you've been having problems. What you do now really depends on whether you want to keep Marilyn or not. Confused

The easiest option would be to return her to the breeder but if you want to persevere & try to cure her of feather pecking then you'll need patience & also face the possibility that it might not work.

You've done the right thing by taking her away from the others. This will upset the pecking order but you need to keep her separate for at least a week or more.

In the meantime, spray Ginger's bottom with purple spray to disguise the redness so none of the other hens decide to start pecking it too.

Once you put Marylin back with the others she will be at the bottom of the pecking order & hopefully this will be enough of a shock to dissuade her against pecking any of the other girls. Wink

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Wink

crazypianolady · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 793 Location: Nottinghamshire

There's a spray called Ukadex which smells vile (and probably tastes even worse) you can spray to deter feather pecking.

http://www.merrydalepoultry.co.uk/accessories.htm

Have they got something to do in their run? Things like a log or branch to jump on/off, or a hanging basket you can put greens in? Or try a CD hung up on the side (tried it and mine ignored it, but worth a go!)

I tried a beak bit but it distressed me almost as much as the chicken, never again!

Good luck!

Nicschickens · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:35 am Post subject:

Thanks all..

I think I'm going to return Marilyn to the breeder tonight Sad

. It's been a tough decision, but the other girls seem so much happier without her there, they're all pootling about very happily with no aggression at all, so I think it's the best option for them. The breeder has no problem taking her back, and will try to integrate her slowly to some other birds and try and break the habit. She's got much more experience than me, so it's definitely for the best all round.

They've got greens hanging in the run, plus a CD to peck at, and I've been scattering mealworms amongst the bark for them to root out, it's a bit of a mystery why Marilyn suddenly developed the habit really, but it seemed to escalate after her experience with the soft egg Sad

I'll miss her, she was one of my favourites, but I just can't risk her damaging the others. Everything I've read indicates that it's a hard habit to break, especially if they've got to the drawing blood stage, and she really was mercilessly attacking Ginger yesterday Sad

CP · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Don't feel too bad. Wink

It would probably have been a long haul to cure her of the habit & only having them a short time it's better to return her now rather than later on if you still weren't able to put her back with the others. Wink

It always seems to be the favourite one... Sad

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 494 Location: Suffolk

Shame, she was your favourite, but the best thing in the end. At least you now have happy hens left, and you can start to enjoy them!! Very Happy

Nicschickens · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

Thanks again Smile

Marilyn is now safely back at the farm, and the owner is going to try to integrate her with some of the other birds in her largest run, so they've got room to escape if she tries anything!

The others all look so peaceful now, even when they were fighting over a big cabbage heart that I strung up for them Laughing