[Knight Family]

One of my girls (only got 12) has started pinching feathers of 1 of the other girls any reason you can think of it?

I have just put in 4 ex batts with the (5 Pols and 3 exbats) but never a problem before then.

I tried purple spray on the feathers but she still eats them in fact even more so.

[Vember]

Could be that is after the extra protein

Try them with a bit of cat food (fish flavor) .
You don't want them getting into any bad habits

Also found this link that may be useful

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=28967

Sarah

[andreadon]

just reading "keeping poultry and rabbits on scraps" (a penguin facsmile of a wartime book) that says
"Over crowding, overheating and/or food deficiency in quality, not quantity.  Provide space, ventilaion and,especially, meat or fish waste and green food in mash. Apply iodine or stockholm tar to affected parts."

I like this book.
 

[woodburner]

just reading "keeping poultry and rabbits on scraps" (a penguin facsmile of a wartime book) that says
"Over crowding, overheating and/or food deficiency in quality, not quantity.  Provide space, ventilaion and,especially, meat or fish waste and green food in mash. Apply iodine or stockholm tar to affected parts."

I like this book.
 

Gasp! You're not going to feed omnivores MEAT are you? Shock horror!   

Seriously though, if the hen is eating feathers, rather than just pulling them out in the course of establishing the pecking order, it is a sign of needing more protein. Not that I really care what DEFRA says  I wouldn't feed petfood to my chooks, you just don't know what's in it! I'm lucky that my wormery is doing well, so they'd get some of the residents if I had that problem. (Come next summer, I will hopefully have enough to feed them some regularly.)

andreadon have you seen Journey to Forever's website? This has got to be my favourite ebook Tons of common sense and 'forgotten' ways of doing things.