Bullied chook??

rainbow · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:46 pm

Hi all,
I have 3 chooks and one is being bullied by the other 2. I only actually saw it happen today but had suspected it for a few days as I saw a hole of plucked feathers on her back the other day. All of her bottom and some of her wing feathers are missing too and she is red on some of that area. I thought it was mites and for the last few weeks have constantly dusted them all, wormed them, cleaned the coop out and sprayed it and changed all the deep litter. So now I am definitely suspecting bullying. I read somewhere that putting gentian violet on the red bits will discourage the chooks pecking as it turns the skin violet and does anyone know if gentian violet is grapeseed extract? Is there anything ghastly tasting that I could put on her that will discourage the others from having a peck. Would separating them fix the problem or would they revert to the behaviour when they are put back together. I know that culling the naughty ones would fix the problem but then I would have only one chook

Ian Clayton · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:14 pm

Hi

You can try Stockholm Tar it's an old farm remedy, I have used it on chooks and cattle many times.
You can buy it from your Stockfeed Merchant. It's thick black and sticky with a strong smell.

Regards

Ian Clayton

Alison · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:15 pm

What worked for my little flock was to mess with the 'pecking order'. I have a large cage for transporting chooks and others, and placed this inside the coop with the 'bullies' inside it for a few days... then changed the order around with one of the bullies out with the previous 'victim', etc.
It's quite distressing to watch one of the brood getting picked on, so good luck! I'm sure someone with more experience will have ideas too...
Ali

rainbow · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:23 pm

Thanks for that Ian and Ali, I have separated her from the rest today by putting some wire mesh accross the run so they can still see each other but not be able to attack her. She needs to grow feathers and I want her to eat some more and recover a bit. I will definitely get the tar when I reintroduce her back to the others so they will not do it again becasue yes, it is distressing to see.

bluepeafowl · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:37 am

Crystal violet is affective as it is an antifungal and antibacterial agent and it should deter the puckers

rainbow · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:52 am

Ok, Thanks

I will let you know how she gets on!

Fertile_Eggs · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:05 pm **Posts:** 1

I was told you can use a mixture of Vaseline and citrus oil 80% Vaseline and 20% oil mixed into a paste then applied to the area. I have never tried it but the bloke that told me has and he claimed it worked like a charm

rainbow · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:11 pm

Fertile_Eggs wrote:

I was told you can use a mixture of Vaseline and citrus oil 80% Vaseline and 20% oil mixed into a paste then applied to the area. I have never tried it but the bloke that told me has and he claimed it worked like a charm

I believe it might work because on and off I have put vaseline on her to soothe the red bits and it calmed it considerably, whether the vaseline may have deterred the pecking or it was effective at soothing the soreness (or maybe both) who knows?

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