[Tricia]

A young Light Sussex - just been laying (tiny eggs) for about 6 weeks - pecks feathers off other hens and eats then, regardless of the size.  One poor chuck has no feathers left around her entire bottom.  We just received bumper bits in the post today and after an immense struggle and several scratched arms later, finally got the hang of how to hold her tightly in a towel and to put the bit on her.  Once on her and firmly in the right place, we couldn't dislodge it.  However she managed to remove it after less than a minute, TWICE.  The fit seemed right.  Any comment or advice welcome - on the bumper bit or on the pecking.  We have sprayed until we were ready to puke at the thought of the smell.  Thanks. Tricia

[plumseverywhere]

I could be wrong here but I'm sure I read that feather eating is a sign of deficiency? protein deficiency? I'm sure someone with more experience will come along but it could be due to her recently starting to lay and needing to supplement her diet.   
We use a powder form of poultry tonic - poultry spice - and that seems to help but I think you can offer other types of food to help with it. hard boiled eggs or something (sorry brain not functioning well today!)

[chrismahon]

Protein deficiency and boredom or lack of space -these are the contributors but som hens just get the taste and won't stop. We bought our Bumpa bits from Omlet, who were less than useless about advice on fitting them. So I posted the method with photos on www.poultrykeeperforum.com. Just search on 'Bumpa beak bits'.

[Marches Farmer]

I had this problem with a Marans earlier this year.  We put her on her own in a pen for a week, moved the rest into a fresh pen then reintroduced her, having sprayed the bare bottoms with blue spray (hens love red and pink!)  She was then bottom of the pecking order and has been fine since. 

[bigchicken]

I would buy some anti pecking spray and apply to pecked hens behinds.

[Tricia]

Thank you all for the replies.  I will look into a protein supplement at our local farm supplies shop and ask them about it.  I can't help wondering why just one would have that need.  This hen was one of three different brands of hens, same age, purchased from the same farm at the same time.  Anti Pecking Spray - we have sprayed until we are nauseated at the very thought of it.  When people say that it lingers, boy, does it linger. Boredom is a difficult one to determine and I will think about that; they have approx. 50sm of irregular shape, with a couple of small trees, a small hill, an indoors area, compost, and varied terrain between 5 hens. They certainly aren't ever crowded. Chrismahon - I think your photos were some that we looked at before fitting.  Very helpful, especially in seeing just what bumper bits ought to look like when fitted.  Perhaps we need to persevere with this method.  Is it possible that we didn't get it in exactly right?  Its hard to know, especially when we pulled at it quite firmly to test it.  The pecker seemed to get her toe in it to pull it out.  We had soaked it in hot water first to soften it a bit.  Maybe not do that next time?    Tricia

[chrismahon]

Problem with anti-pecking spray is it's the victim that suffers, not the attacker. The bird with it on will try and preen and get the stuff all over. We found that we could identify the individual causing the problems and target her only with a beak bit. The last hen we fitted one to managed to get it off, but the others were totally successful.

[plumseverywhere]

Hang some cabbages or lettuces to try and divert their pecking to something else. You can also buy pecking blocks from poultry suppliers which will do a good job. We spray our victims with gentian violet spray to hide the redness and prevent the others being drawn to peck at it.

[bigchicken]

If it's only one bird pull its neck. The others will likely join in, We use to get vent feather pecking in the commercial poultry industry but I have never seen it in our free range poultry.

[Tricia]

Big chicken - you are a tough one!  I only have 5 and at £15 a pop, I would rather try and sort her out.  If the worst comes to the worst, then yes, I will use your method. They are only chickens, I hear you say.   Chrismahon - and anyone else wanting to try Bumper Beak Bits - I bought a pair of external circlip pliers.  Excellent advice.  They were the perfect tool for the job.  I am thinking now that the bumpers we put on yesterday were perhaps a bit soft but that was the only way we could get them open.  With the tool (only £4.00 a pair) opening the bumper was simple and so far, several hours later she hasn't been able to remove it.
I have had to isolate her however, because she became so distressed that she had forced a lot of her innards out of her bottom.  It has gone back in now, but it was a bit of a scary sight.  Couldn't risk another hen going for it.  Also, immediately she was put on the ground (before we saw her pushed out bits) one of the other hens saw her beak and tried to peck the bumper away from her, presumably thinking it was food.  She will be kept in her own pen for a couple of days until she is well settled and has learned how to eat and drink properly with it on.  I'm sure that won't take long.  So thanks again.  I will also think about hanging a large vegetable.  I did that once before with different hens, but it rotted away untouched by a single beak.              Tricia

[chrismahon]

We made the mistake of hanging a red cabbage. Came back several hours later and all the hens were backed up to the wire of the run just staring at it. Presumably they thought I had hung something dead in there. Green cabbage they love and rip it to pieces in minutes -deep yellow yolks in the eggs follow.


Tricia, I am shocked your hen was so stressed. There must be an underlying weakness for that to happen. Try a little anusol -see same forum 'Elisa's prolapse'.

[plumseverywhere]

I thought they'd have been drawn to a red cabbage! how funny  Mine like a corn on the cob strung up, that keeps them happy for ages.