[Debz]

I have 3 girls who had a bit of a moult but 2 were pecked to bleeding.  I took the worst affected girl out every morning and put her in the greenhouse until her new feathers started coming in.  The other two girls got sprayed purple often.  Anyway once Marge's feathers started coming back in, I left her in with the other two during the day.  this was okay for about 4 days and then they pecked her bald again.  She is back in the greenhouse during the day again because I don't want her to get hurt.  I will be more patient this time and wait until she is really well feathered before leaving her alone during the day with the other two.  I am going to get a load of this sand this weekend and see if it helps.  Otherwise I am a bit scuppered for a solution.  I suppose I could re-home her with my sister's girls who live in a field but after all she has been through I really don't want to have to get rid of her.  She is now my favourite girl!  (Don't tell the others though!)

[trinacooke]

Hi Debz,

It may well be coincience with mine but it was after using the sand that it had stopped (it took about a week) and now the feathers are growing back and the scabbs are falling off! I did use the Purple spray on any red bits as the other two were drawn to the red! then I gave them a few days of cat food as this apparently helps for feather re-growth!

The sand that I used was extra fine quality bird sand - it came in a carton and is grey sand it has added oystershell and minerals/vitamins also tasted of aniseed apparently but I didnt try any to make sure!  it was about £1.70 I think.  it came from a pet centre cant remember the make threw the carton away   

All the best with your girl    Trina

[mickwood]

Isn't this forum just...ACE!

I've been having a problem with violet, the bantam lav pekin, since she started laying (finally!! lol!!)

She's started giving us an egg every other day and the shells have been firm but at the same time she's started to peck at 2 of the other girls feathers!! I had a theory that she may be missing something in her diet (although she has grit which has calcium, organic pellets and we put some greens and corn in the afternoon for them to peck at). I think I'll try that sand idea!!

It feels to me that making the eggs is using a lot of 'something' in her system that she is getting back from eating the other girls' feathers!?

The poor silkie has no feathers on her head at all!!! 

[Foxy]

Hi Mickwood, great news your lovely lavender pekin is laying!
Just a note -mixed corn wont contain any of the nutrients she needs right now -I would make sure that their diet consists of their layers pellets only, just for the time being and knock the mixed corn on the head for now.Have you got poultry grit or oyster shell? Some supposedly oyster shell is only broken cockle shell which isn't really much good.

Here is a good supplier

http://www.ascott.biz/acatalog/Poultry_Grit_and_Oystershell.html

[mickwood]

Hi Mickwood, great news your lovely lavender pekin is laying!
Just a note -mixed corn wont contain any of the nutrients she needs right now -I would make sure that their diet consists of their layers pellets only, just for the time being and knock the mixed corn on the head for now.Have you got poultry grit or oyster shell? Some supposedly oyster shell is only broken cockle shell which isn't really much good.

Here is a good supplier

http://www.ascott.biz/acatalog/Poultry_Grit_and_Oystershell.html

Thanks, we have poultry grit and I seem to remember asking the guy at little morton farm about it's calcium content etc and was assured it was good. I only throw a handful of corn into their run in the afternoon - would that be enough to stop her eating the layers pellets they have constant access to? You think I should stop for a few days?

(sorry...hijacking the thread!!)

[Foxy]

well it sounds like she is probably getting all the nutrients she needs -and may have got into a habit. You could give a little protein supplement in the form of a little cat food in the evenings for a few days. Maybe string some CDs up in the run to destract her from pecking. Silkies unfortunately are prone to their hairdos being pecked! :blink:

[nicchick]

We put the hen who was featherpecking back in the run with the others today. She had been away because of an impacted crop. I am 99 recent sure itwas lack of nutrients which led her to do this. Nic.

[mickwood]

Cat food? what, like the tinned stuff? I've bought some bird cage sand today and made them a dust bath...maybe they'll eat it as well??  :blink:

[HENrietta]

Hi all, it seems we are all having pecking problems. I to have just brought bird sand and grit which i am going to make them a dust bath. I have also just bought a tin of cat food which is 'salmon' flavour. But having read the back it has a meat supplement in it. Can hens eat this and does it calm them down?
 Mine are not even togehter but still the two older ones literally charge at the mesh to get at my little two newbies. We are going to wait until easter before putting them altogehter, as there run isnt masiive and they dont have many places to hide. Is this to long to wait, the only thing that i worry about is if i do it now, we are out all day and cant keep a watchful eye on them. They are not free range as we get a lot of foxes who really dont care what the time of day is! Cheeky blitters. 
This sit is ACE i love it!
Hope you all have a happy sunday!

HENrietta