The Poultry Keeper

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

I'm cooking up a new peck-a-block for them today, Smile

Lisa · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject:

oooo - what'cha putting in yours?

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

Same as last time, eggs, flour, muesli and mixed corn,

They seem to enjoy it Smile

Lisa · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:30 pm Post subject:

Can't remember - did you bake yours, or dry it?

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

I baked it, low heat for a few hours

Looked good enough to eat it myself, although I didn't try it Surprised

Lisa · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:37 pm Post subject:

Ah, that's what I did with mine too. But I'd forgotten about all about that - haven't done one for ages - I think I feel a cooking session coming on Laughing

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

Somebody asked this question (feather pecking) in the pp forum and I replied just before it all went down (know who to blame then) I saw this letter in an old (Dec 1997) Country Smallholding, I'm not going to copy it out here but basically an old poultry keeper recommended a bowl of salty water alongside the fresh for feather pecking and cannibalism, I tried it as I had a couple of peckers but nothing too serious, they don't do it anymore BUT I'm not saying it was the salty water, but they did drink it all - in fact I must refill it, so there is a need for it, the man replied to me that he heard salt was toxic to chickens, well salt is toxic to us if we have too much, maybe they need the option. It's worth a try.

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

Sounds like it might be worth a try itsybitsy
thanks Wink

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

Been thinking about this one a bit more, and about bad habits as well (as an ageing nail biter amongst other things!!!) I was working on a farm a couple of weeks ago that had a lot of stabled horses - well looked after but bored and they were all standing heads out of stable doors swaying from side to side, and I suppose feather plucking/eating starts as one thing - sorting the pecking order and ends up for various reasons as a nasty habit, mine as I said earlier had a couple of peckers and they were all originally in runs of various sizes, well now they're out in an acre field so the pecked have more space to get away and their sore bums re feathered after moulting, I've also discovered they love carrots! It started when they discovered the carrot crumbs dropped from my pony's mouth as he munched them but now they get two or three a day cut into 1" or so slices, I don't see carrots mentioned really - mostly cabbage and such, but carrots are the right colour to attract their attention, they just peck the chunks till they're gone, something else worth a try, mince first if they don't fancy the chunks. I suspect as well that you may have to use the bits to break the habit and hope it doesn't re-start.

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

They do get carrots (mostly the peeling) but they don't seem to be overly fond of them,

rubychik · Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject:

mine love cooked carrots, in fact they go for them before they go for the greens Smile

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

true, mine adore them cooked (usually carrot and swede mashed)

But they aren't too struck on them raw

Bhindi · Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 7:27 pm Post subject:

Mine just get a whole carrot thrown in every two days, and its generally gone within a couple of hours without trace... and its supposed to be good at keeping worms at bay, so Im pleased they adore them.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I used to grate the carrot for my girls and they loved it ~ I think it was also mentioned as a natural thing to help against worms.
I used to give them milk occasionally too as the breeder who supplied my first girls recommended. She said it gave a protein and calcium boost.
Hope you sort out your feather pecker soon