essexfluke Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hi hope some one can help me, went to one of the pens tonight and at least 10-20 of the poults have there tail feathers bright red with blood and seem to be hopping to legged around the pen. All were fine yesterday when checked and have been drinking and eating well. They are 9 weeks old, were delivered on Saturday and split between two pens the other pen all seems fine. There are 180 birds in this pen so need to find the problem and sort quick. Any ideas or advice would be much appreciated. I have found one dead bird but this was a deformed one that was delivered with a wonky leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Sounds like feather pecking to me. Hang up some cabbages to give them something to peck at instead of themselves. Just my thoughts. I'm sure you will get other options from thoes with more experience of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Sounds like feather pecking to me too. How big is the pen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Yes, sounds like feather pecking. How big is your pen. You need to distract the birds with plenty of hanging greens, provide perches and cover to give them some respite. Provide sufficient feeding stations with good quality grub. Also, catch up the victims and spray the wounds with teramicin blue spray, this will treat the wounds and disguise the red which poults will be attracted to. My main concern is that the pen is not big enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexfluke Posted August 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I thought feather pecking but couldn't see any signs of damaged to the feathers but a bit difficult in the heavy rain also never seen that much blood on the tail feathers before. I have proberly over reacted and will have a proper look in the morning but thought it best to get some other ideas of what to look for when I check. The pen is about 12 meters by 27meters with net on top and is on fresh ground as we had to move it. Thanks for all the advice I will let you know tomorrow if I have been a bit nervy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benellimelody Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Definitely feather pecking. Sounds like the pen is too small but bad whether and disturbance can set them off. Try and keep them settled. You need to make sure there are plenty of feeders and waters so birds are not fighting to eat/ drink. A few bales of straw (left intact for them to scrat at and jump on) and cabbages hung up and maybe a few bits of cover and branches will help. It may be just a few birds causing the problems so sometimes releasing the main pecking culprits can help. They can often settle down again but if they keep pecking it won't end well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benellimelody Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Pen is far too small at 12m x 27m for 180 birds. You will struggle! A good rule is 1 bird every metre of perimeter so you should really have had only about 80birds maximum in that pen in my opinion Pen is far too small at 12m x 27m for 180 birds. You will struggle! A good rule is 1 bird every metre of perimeter so you should really have had only about 80birds maximum in that pen in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I'd agree pen seems very small unless some very very good cover in there. With such small perimeters i thought they reccommneded 2m per poult? rising to 1m and even 1/2m per poult as perimeter increases (as area increase more with big perimeters). I have a couple of small pens 35-50m sq and only put 50odd birds in them they have so much cover u can hardly find a bird in them afterwards. If a lot of cover u might get away with that ammount but it sounds like ur not really getting away with it Even hang some gutted rabbits up to so the maggots drip down to give them something to peck at. Think i would be getting ready to lift wire quite quickly in that pen, while feather pecking is not usually that fatal but can knock them back the extra stress could very easily bring something else on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Hi Luke Surprised no one else has asked... What feed are you feeding? How old are the birds, you say you've had them for a week so I'm guessing somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks old. As suggested Fresh veg to pick at, use some straining wire to pierce through and hang them up. More than enough feeders/drinkers? Any older cocks knocking about? Ps whilst the pen size is small I have a feeling this is not where your problem lies, how many birds do you usually put through this pen and why did you feel the need to move? PM me if you like Edited August 18, 2015 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 put some vegetation in to keep them busy and not so visual to each other, open pens create boredom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Would this veg thing help with English partridge, got some feather pecking all the same size pens & numbers French fine just English pecking ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexfluke Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Hi Luke Surprised no one else has asked... What feed are you feeding? How old are the birds, you say you've had them for a week so I'm guessing somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks old. As suggested Fresh veg to pick at, use some straining wire to pierce through and hang them up. More than enough feeders/drinkers? Any older cocks knocking about? Ps whilst the pen size is small I have a feeling this is not where your problem lies, how many birds do you usually put through this pen and why did you feel the need to move? PM me if you like Hi Paul hope you and your birds are well, I have checked the pen this morning and I have over reacted a bit (long day and very wet). I caught one this morning and it seems that they have started to peck. They are 9 weeks old and I am feeding the medicated pellets the we got with the birds. Although the pen is on the small size its about the same as last year and we didn't have any problems then. there are 4 feeding and drinking stations with shelters next to each one. We had to move the pen so they could put in a secondary sea wall as the main one is going to breach in the next couple of years and the environment agency is not going to repair it, we have only had to move it around 200 meters. I have opened up a couple of bails in there this morning and will stop at the veg shop on the way home. Thanks for all the comments and help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) Feeder numbers sound good Ok so we can assume the feed is correct protein % for age Are you putting salts in the birds water? Edited August 19, 2015 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexfluke Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 No haven't put anything in the water would this help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) Yeah this could be the cause, the quality of their preening oil is reduced if they don't get correct salts intake, some times they will disrupt their own feathers around the gland in frustration and some times they will use another birds preen gland, usually unsympathetically Could be your old pen site was more naturally abundant in the birds salt requirement I use solulyte and just go by the manufacturers instruction Now they've drawn blood it'll be harder to stop, fresh veg (change it regular) and apples dotted around work well, or some of them hanging feed balls, I'll find a link to them Edited August 19, 2015 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 https://www.solwayfeeders.com/gamekeeping-accessories/game-bird-attractants/pheasant-pecker-holding-block-with-spice-5kg-p2175/ Veg is good too but sometimes veg does not last to long, these last a good while and take up the slack if the veg has gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexfluke Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 https://www.solwayfeeders.com/gamekeeping-accessories/game-bird-attractants/pheasant-pecker-holding-block-with-spice-5kg-p2175/ Veg is good too but sometimes veg does not last to long, these last a good while and take up the slack if the veg has gone Cheers Paul have ordered 4 off them will look at getting some stuff for the water as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Were the poults bitted by the game farm. There is just a chance that some may not have been done and have developed the vice prior to being delivered to you. If it persists I would watch them closely and take out the culprits if its just a few birds doing it. Difficult and time consuming, but worth a go. Also, I would increase the number of feeders and consider opening the pen up sooner rather than later. Anything to spread the birds out and stop crowding. Poults are horrid little things and love any excuse to indulge in feather pecking and cannibalism, particularly if kept too tight, so anything you can do to relieve boredom and crowding is a must. As I said before, it would be worth putting up some perches, they can't peck when perching and I may consider removing the shelters to stop them congregating under them. Good luck. Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexfluke Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Just a quick up date thanks for all the advice it helped keep me calm and sort it out. After putting down lots of straw and old veg, plus put in some wind breaks and a load of cut down conifers to add extra cover and hanging some of the feed block up that Paul suggested. All the birds are now doing great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Good to hear Luke, glad your sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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