The Poultry Keeper

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

I have one of my shetlands that adores eating feathers, and plucking them out of all the others.

I've tried seperating her, giving her Battles Poultry Drink, fish, eggs etc. but as soon as she's put back in with the others she starts plucking feathers out of them

Anyone know what else I can try to stop it. Crying or Very sad

CP · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:32 pm Post subject:

A muzzle?

Seriously, there are those anti-peck bits you can buy - never had to use them, but would guess they work otherwise they wouldn't sell them. Confused

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

I saw some chicken spectacles on one site, not sure how they are suppose to work though.

You don't want a lovely green egg laying shetland do you CP ? Surprised

Diane · Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 274 Location: Dorset

I've used the chicken bits on one of my feather eating pekins and they really do work. Don't leave on for more than 6 weeks - or you'll have to trim the beak slightly.
Didn't stop her from eating and drinking and she was fine. Her bald friend was mightily relieved too.

She pulled her friends' feathers when her friend was growing new ones, after moulting. When the moult was over, I removed the bit and all was well.

fenwoman · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject:

poultry bits work but they address the symptoms not the cause. Plucking can be caused by boredom, too small an area or low calcium levels. Add limestone flour to the food to raise calcium levels, chuck in a cabbage or a few apples to relieve boredom and give them more space.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2207 Location: North Cornwall

We had one do this when she first came and was shut in the run while she settled in. One of the girls would walk past her, she pulled a feather out, placed it on the ground then swallowed it quill first. It stopped as soon as she was let out to free range.

nigel · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:19 am Post subject:

when we got the second phase of our chickens from Wernlas they all came with the 'bumper bar' bits. Sean told us to keep they on for 3-4 weeks until they settled in. They didn't stop them eating, drinking or decimating the vegetation,but no real damage while the pecking order was established

I'd say give them a go.

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

fenwoman · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject:

Firstly, dairy products should not normally be given to chickens as they are lactose intolerant. Secondly apples, cabbage and cauliflower do not contain calcium.
The 'occasionally' bit is a worry too since if they are largely penned up, they need fresh fruit and veg daily. What are you feeding them? Do you give things like sunflower as a treat?
poultry bits should be used as a last resort as they can cause problems. You would be better advised to get yourself some limestone flour from any horse supplier, or a soluble supplement like cal-ci-boost from interhatch before going down the poultry bit routine.
Buying bits and fitting them should notbe your first course of action.It would certainly signify to me a poultry keeper who was too lazy to feed properly or try to get rid of the cause of plucking first.

CP · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject:

I've seen you mention lactose intolerant before fenwoman. I would like to read the article about that if you have it, or a link to it on the internet, please?

So many people feed their chickens with yogurt (myself included) that I'm sure loads do not know about this.

Having said that, I've been feeding them for several years with no obvious ill effects. So what symptoms should we look for in a lactose intolerant chicken?

I think George mentioned apples as a relief from boredom, not as a calcium supplement. I wouldn't have said he was a lazy poultry keeper either. I just think he's asking for a simple way of stopping this 1 bird from feather pecking.
Sometimes what starts out as a 1-off, can become a nasty habit in a short space of time. If the chicken bits/bumper bars or whatever they're called work, then why not try them 'as a last resort'?

Diane · Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 274 Location: Dorset

Yes - I use live yoghurt too, for my chicks when they first hatch. They all do well.

Is this the same Fenwoman who once told me (on another website) that she'd never heard of giving apple cider vinegar to chickens either? And she wasn't too polite on that occasion either!

Lisa · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject:

When I had horrendous feather pecking problems with my original birds, the avian vet I saw said it was phosphorous imbalance, but a change in diet didn't seem to help with my birds. One started it, all but one copied the behaviour, and all of them picked on little Willow Crying or Very sad

I tried the beak bits from Wernlas. When they came off the feather pecking started up again, but I think it was just a well learnt habit by then Confused

In Poultry Behaviour and Welfare, by Michael Appleby et al, they make a distinction between feather pecking which is a kind of preening and/or eating behaviour gone wrong, and more aggressive pecking behaviour.

nigel · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject:

John Seymour in "The New Complete book of Self Sufficiency" refers to using milk and milk products as a suitable food for chickens page 118 ff.

CP · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:57 pm Post subject:

I will continue feeding my 'porridge mix' then which includes natural yogurt. They only usually have it at weekends anyway. Wink

Heather · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

well humans who can't tolerate lactose can sometimes cope with live yoghurt so ...

Also to add George is definitely not a lazy poultry keeper ! I have seen his set up and it is very good. possibly th cleanest hen house I have seen ! This particular chicken is quite relentless in her feather pecking - perhaps she is just that way inclined, but she is certainly very determined to do it !

Perhaps you should find out the facts before resorting to name calling ! to me you seem to be attacking someone who was just asking for advice & help which is what we are here for - after the support that has been shown to you in recent days I don't find this behaviour acceptable.

maybe you meant to give advice but you came across in an abrasive manner, the comment about lazy poultry keeping was uncalled for when you do not know George's circumstances.