Advice needed for pecked hen

[kathleen13]

I have 4 hens that are about 6 months old...two of them have started laying in the past two weeks. One of the hens that's laying, a Rhode Island Red, has always had a scruffy looking tail but in the past week she's been getting pecked quite a bit and now has a bare spot on her back/tail area. Yesterday it looked as if it had been bleeding (or maybe just very raw) but today it's better, just white-ish.

It's not a large spot but she's definitely missing feathers and some are broken. My husband and I put some iodine on it a little while ago to deter the other birds from pecking her. But now that there's a bare spot they all seem curious and give her a peck when she walks by. Should we separate her? I feel so bad for her getting picked on, and these are the first hens we've had so I'm not sure what to do. Our local feed store doesn't have BlueKote, which I've heard helps. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Kathleen

 

[kmenchicks]

The only other thing I've heard of other than blukote(which would be best) is I read about some people putting vicks on it. The other chickens won't like the taste if they peck at her and will leave her alone. I just can't imagine putting vicks on a wound. ouch!

 

[kathleen13]

Maybe I'll try that if the iodine doesn't work. It's looked raw yesterday, but today it just looks like a bare spot, no open wound. So I imagine the Vicks wouldn't bother her...thanks for your reply

 

[Country4ever]

I have used Vicks and it helps for a day or 2 and you have to reapply it. I guess with the iodine, I would be concerned with all the possible iodine that might be being absorbed through the skin.
How about a chicken saddle? But I'm not sure if that helps with the vent area, or only the back of the neck.
I have a 9 year old easter-egger that has had a bare butt her entire life. Nothing seemed to work. After a coon got 2 of my hens, I realized that it was one of those hens that was pecking her butt and making it bleed. At least now its not bleeding........although totally bare. I feel bad for her when its really cold out!

 

[confusedbanti]

Bluekote is for healing not to stop the Pecking ! I've had the same problem and the only thing that helped is rooster booster pick no more. Check with your local feed store or get it online. Put on GLOVES the stuff is purple and smells strong like pine tar. Slap it on her bald spot and believe me, they will no longer pick on her !

Separating the Hen only makes things worse because you have to put her back at some point and the picking starts all over because now she is the outsider.
I hope that helps

 

[kathleen13]

Thanks for the tips...I will try the vicks until I can get some Rooster Booster. At least the Vicks won't be absorbed like the Iodine. And the Rooster Booster seems pretty natural...I don't like the idea of having chemicals on or near them!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Bluekote is for healing not to stop the Pecking ! I've had the same problem and the only thing that helped is rooster booster pick no more. Check with your local feed store or get it online. Put on GLOVES the stuff is purple and smells strong like pine tar. Slap it on her bald spot and believe me, they will no longer pick on her !

Separating the Hen only makes things worse because you have to put her back at some point and the picking starts all over because now she is the outsider.
I hope that helps

Rooster Booster pick no more lotion is available online and I always have a bottle handy. It works great because it tastes very bad to them. It does stain though.

 

[kathleen13]

I just ordered some Rooster Booster online...it seems like a handy thing to have around. I hope it works!!

 

[bj taylor]

i was following this thread because i'm having some chicks picked & they became bloody (at the base of their tail). i ordered this stuff too a few minutes ago. i too thought it seemed like something good to have on hand. wish i had it right now. tomorrow i'm going to go get some blue kote. i think i need to get my 4 picked on chicks back into the flock asap or they will be outsiders.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I just ordered some Rooster Booster online...it seems like a handy thing to have around. I hope it works!!

Just remember to apply it daily in small amounts because it seems to be gone the next day. I hope it works for you too! I have learned to keep it around when I wash off that pasty butt- it has saved many of my chicks over the years since after washing they really start pecking that clean -reddened from washing- bottom.

If this lotion doesn't work you might try pinless peepers (blinders) for awhile. They are available I think from eggcartons.com and other places...heat them in water for a little while to soften them before applying.