Feather pecking
Does anyone know how to stop birds picking out each other's feathers?
Fintan96
Friday, June 9th, 2017 http://articles.extension.org/pages/66088/feather-pecking-an...
Flock Master
Friday, June 9th, 2017 Good info there. Fintan aswell as making sure there no overcrowding and they are getting enough protein try a few distractions.
Hang a couple of heads cabbage in their pen,give them something they can use as a dustbath,a tyre filled with sand or dry dusty clay under cover,let them freerange as much as possible or failing that cut up some dandelions and young dock leafs for them regularly,all can help sort the problem.
Overcrowding and boredom i,ve found are the main causes.
nama-man
Saturday, June 10th, 2017 Thanks for the help guys! Much appreciated.
Fintan96
Saturday, June 10th, 2017 Your replies have been good and should help you. Often feather pecking starts soon after hatch and at night, particularly if the chicks have light at night, even red light. They wake-up in the night when they are all cuddled up and peck at some small item/dust or something looking like food on the back of another chick. Then that develops into pulling chick down then later feathers. Something I learned many years ago - If my grouse chicks have light at night they develop feather pecking. There is no feather pecking now as they are in complete darkness at night from hatch till adult.
Good luck.
Grouse1
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017
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Feather pecking
Does anyone know how to stop birds picking out each other's feathers?
Friday, June 9th, 2017
http://articles.extension.org/pages/66088/feather-pecking-an...
Friday, June 9th, 2017
Good info there. Fintan aswell as making sure there no overcrowding and they are getting enough protein try a few distractions.
Hang a couple of heads cabbage in their pen,give them something they can use as a dustbath,a tyre filled with sand or dry dusty clay under cover,let them freerange as much as possible or failing that cut up some dandelions and young dock leafs for them regularly,all can help sort the problem.
Overcrowding and boredom i,ve found are the main causes.
Saturday, June 10th, 2017
Thanks for the help guys! Much appreciated.
Saturday, June 10th, 2017
Your replies have been good and should help you. Often feather pecking starts soon after hatch and at night, particularly if the chicks have light at night, even red light. They wake-up in the night when they are all cuddled up and peck at some small item/dust or something looking like food on the back of another chick. Then that develops into pulling chick down then later feathers. Something I learned many years ago - If my grouse chicks have light at night they develop feather pecking. There is no feather pecking now as they are in complete darkness at night from hatch till adult.
Good luck.
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017