[chickenlady]

I noticed when i first brought my ambers home that every now and again one or the other plucked a few feathers form the other one then ate them??? I thought it was just stress of being moved etc but 3 wks later ive noticed them doing it still and a few times to the younger girls now!! can anyone tell me why they are doing it and how i can stop it? also if they find a feather on the ground they also eat it?

[Vember]

Mine quite often pick up the odd feather and eat them

I don't think it's anything to worry about, not sure as to why they do it though :?


Sarah

[GrannieAnnie]

Isn't it to do with the oil that is at the base of the feather?  they have a gland near their tail which secretes an oil that I suppose lubricates their skin or feathers?

Aunt Sally knows more about this than I do, but as long as the pecked girls are okay, I don't think its a problem.  The problem comes when they draw blood then carry on pecking.

[Aunt Sally]

It's not a good idea to ignore a chook being plucked  :shock:

Try to stop the habit before it gets worse.  I'd start of trying an anti peck spray and see if that deters it.

[chickenlady]

thanks for the tips, had thought of trying anti peck spray but thought i was being over cautious!! cant seem to find any sprays in the pet supplies shops i us, could you tell me what its called! many thanks

[Kate and her Ducks]

In my book Cannabilism (which seems a little melodramatic to me) can be caused by boredom, intense light, overcrowding or lack of a balanced diet, especially greens. Could any of this be the case in your girls?

[Aunt Sally]

You could try Featherite .

http://www.ascott-dairy.co.uk/acatalog/Feather_Pecking.html#aMD110

[Foxy]

It's not a good idea to ignore a chook being plucked  :shock:

Try to stop the habit before it gets worse.  I'd start of trying an anti peck spray and see if that deters it.

it can develop into a nasty habit if not nipped in the bud. Ukadex spray is supposed to be good -smells vile apparently!I remember Grannieannie posting about it. Purple spray is what I use as it disguises the colour of blood, another one is Stockholm tar quite messy though! These products should be available from a feed or horsey store. As Kate mentioned -boredom can trigger the featherpecking so make sure you have lots of distractions in the run and plenty of food available.

[chickenlady]

I wonder if its a habit the ambers have come with because the 5 girlies have a run 4' x 31'!! under trees with branches for perches and shelves to sit on! they are on bark chips with dirt underneath which they love to scratch in and dust bath, I give them free access to layers pellets and mixed corn peas and sweetcorn in the afternoon, we let them roam the garden whilst we're out there??? paxo (the main offender)paces up and down when she sees someone through the window, thats the time she tends to pluck at the feathers, when she is waiting for treats. i think i will have to get some spray becuse nugget is now missing 2 tail feathers!! just when i relax abit about them they do something else that gets me worrying thanks for all the advice everyone

[Foxy]

I think you may be right! your post does ring a bell, had my cochin cock in with one poorly exbat and no probs -then popped in another ex-bat and the next morning there was blood everywhere from her pecking his fluffly feet it was shocking, so I know it was a habit she had picked up in the cages poor thing...Oh he is fine and recovering now!

[Vember]

so why do they pick the odd ones up off the floor an eat them? 'cause that's what mine do sometimes, even the ducks  :shock:

[Chookaholic]

Don't worry chickenlady,you will get it sorted out.Your chickens sound pampered!Maybe the one that's doing it is attention seeking!Mine also like to eat feathers off the floor sometimes.We clipped their wings yesterday,& I left the feather clippings on the grass.I think I will probably pick them up now.I seem to be worrying about one thing after another too,but the rewards of seeing my birds happy make it worth it.   keep smiling,your birds are lucky to have an owner like you,who cares so much

[chickenlady]

so why do they pick the odd ones up off the floor an eat them? 'cause that's what mine do sometimes, even the ducks  :shock:

I thought that as they had picked up the habit of plucking them and eating them, that maybe they started to like the taste!!

[Vember]

mine have never plucked each other but pick the odd little un up  :?

[chickenlady]

Don't worry chickenlady,you will get it sorted out.Your chickens sound pampered!Maybe the one that's doing it is attention seeking!Mine also like to eat feathers off the floor sometimes.We clipped their wings yesterday,& I left the feather clippings on the grass.I think I will probably pick them up now.I seem to be worrying about one thing after another too,but the rewards of seeing my birds happy make it worth it.   keep smiling,your birds are lucky to have an owner like you,who cares so much

thankyou for that!! its a lovely thing to say, hubby thinks im getting a bit neurotic!(think thats how you spell it?) but you know yourself we just want them to be happy and healthy chooks and worry that we are doing it right! im off to cheer myself up by watching hugh fernly W build a chicken house! bye for now. :cherry: