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Post by chickabee on Nov 22, 2004 15:01:50 GMT 10
no not happy at all......went out to check on the babies and the new girl I got has plucked the pin feathers from her oldest baby....he has a bald head and the second baby she has plucked the down feathers from his back and the third baby was not looking very well at all he was shakey and cold.....so I have taken them away from her. I have put one baby in each of the other two boxes and I have brought the little sick one in doors..... why has she done this...there not lacking in food of vits. Has any one else had this happen and is taking them away from her a good idea.
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Post by hillcresttiels on Nov 22, 2004 15:55:45 GMT 10
Hi Deb the $64 question sounds like your hen is what we call a chronic feather plucker and shouldn't be tolerated.My experiences have told me a few things about chronic pluckers. The first is that if a chick has been plucked in the nest it's highly likely it will carry the trait when it gets older and breeds.The second is a lack of Protein,Calcium or Iodine which can be a factor even though we feed them correctly for one reason or another they do not absorb these vitamins and with feather folics being pure protein it's not hard to wonder why plucking occurs.Thirdly and to date i think the most important is a combination of stress and boredom in the Aviary which can lead to plucking.I have experimented with different techniques over the years and have found a couple of little things sometimes help and that is the use of Volanic or Normal Salt Rocks can help eliminate the problem.I place one the size of my palm in every breeders aviary and when i feed their sprouts morning and late afternoons i dip the Salt Rock in their drinking water and place it on the bottom of the suspended aviaries floor,hens know when i do this as they rush to peck and lick the moistened rock.Also the use of Calcium-Iodine blocks can sometimes help but in general if it's a trait then the offender is removed.Please note that self Plucking can be a different matter all together especially in Pet Birds the plucking of feathers under the wings is generally linked to a disease called Giardisis hope i have helped cheers Frank  |
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Post by chickabee on Nov 22, 2004 18:38:02 GMT 10
Thanks Frank....I have read all the previous posts on feather plucking and it seems to me that I purchased a feather plucker, I have only had her a month. It seems she may have been some one elses's breeder and they sold her to the bird shop I purchased her from, I only had her a few days and she went to box straight away, makes me think she may have been in the cycle when I got her. The problem now is what to do with her. I have a cals Iodine block that the other breeders attack with gusto, plus with the vits that go on there greens and in their water, I almost think I'm over doing it....but then again this seasons chicks are darn huge, you should see the size of their big fat heads LOL Any way...think this is just one of them things that us breeders come up against.....you can go for ages and bang ya get a feather plucker. Late thisarvo I checked the two fosters and they are well fed, the other breeding pairs that I have are the most fantastic parents, and it has not phased them that they now have six chicks each ;D ;D My only problem is the little guy in the warmer box, I nearly lost him he was so cold....so don't laugh but I sat for an hour this arvo with him in my shirt on my skin till his nursery box warmed up....he has had two small feeds but I don't hold much hope for him, but I'll do my darn best  |
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