Will a cockerel stop my heans feather pecking?

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Green Rosie	Will a cockerel stop my heans feather pecking? My laying hens have got a feather pecking order established so the ones at the bottom are looking really bare-bottomed Using an anti-pecking spray helped a bit, so not quite so many are all bare-bummed but I have obviously not sorted the problem throughout. I thought I read somewhere that if you run a cockerel with your hens he'll keep them in order and their should be no pecking. Is this likely to be true? If so would he also be able to break the habit of those currently doing it? I have a young cockerel I could keep if he could help solve this problem. All ideas and other suggestions welcome.
Bodger	No. My LS are moulting now and yesterday, I saw one of my hens feather pecking the cocks chest. I'm going to have to catch him up and put him somewhere out of the girls way until he's finished moulting. The anti peck spectacles are painless to fit to the birds, you can take them off when things have quietened down and above all, they actually do what it says on the tin.
Green Rosie	Ooh - I've never heard of anti pecking spectacles. Has anyone else used them and did they work?
Woodburner	Yes and no! As Bodger says, they will peck the cockerel instead. You'd think they'd stop them, but they go into a kind of trance and just stand there all macho like! Increasing their protein intake helps, but the best cure is a large varied run (or real free range ofc ).
Green Rosie	Mine have a large run with areas of grass, mud and dry soil to bathe in. I might be able to give them a bit of our so called front garden if I can make it secure enough. What can I give them to increase their protein intake? They get wheat and layers pellets in the morning and wheat in the evening.
chez	Perhaps cut out the wheat in the morning? Wheat is about 10% protein, IIRC and layers pellets are about 17% or 18%. They would far rather fill up on the wheat than eat the pellets. I don't feed it at all atm. Rolled peas, soyameal and fishmeal are what are traditionally used. Peas are 23%. Don't know off the top of my head what fishmeal is - they tend not to sell it for animal feed in the UK.
Bodger	Ooh - I've never heard of anti pecking spectacles. Has anyone else used them and did they work?

Don't you believe me then? Laughing

Green Rosie

Ooh - I've never heard of anti pecking spectacles.
Has anyone else used them and did they work?

Don't you believe me then? Laughing

Sorry Bodger Embarassed

I read that as something you had knew about but hadn't used! Plus I know that something that works for one lot of chickens doesn't work for another.

Chez - I can certainly try giving them more layers pellets and I might see what else the ag supplier has. You are right about them preferring the wheat though (mind you so do I as it's a lot cheaper Rolling Eyes

) Bodger

Mine have feather pecked a little this year and they're fed on layers pellets and are on total free range. IMO, they're doing it simply because they can. thumbup

Green Rosie

I think that's why mine do it and now it's become and a habit Sad

Bodger

How many chickens have you got? If you only have a few, then send me your address and I'll put some specks in the post. Green Rosie

How many chickens have you got? If you only have a few, then send me your address and I'll put some specks in the post.

Thanks Bodger. I have 12. Is that too many? I'm happy to pay for them and the postage. I'll PM you my address Very Happy

Bodger

I can manage that. Green Rosie

I can manage that.

Merci Very Happy

Woodburner

Mine have a large run with areas of grass, mud and dry soil to bathe in. I might be able to give them a bit of our so called front garden if I can make it secure enough. What can I give them to increase their protein intake? They get wheat and layers pellets in the morning and wheat in the evening.

My apologies for assuming you had a relatively small run. Embarassed

Mine always get worse wehn I have to keep them in and improve when I let them out more, and now they have a huge run that they are out in all day, every day, the top cockerel's feathers are all regrowing properly. Green Rosie

No worries, it was a valid point to make. I suspect a lot of chickens have less space than mine and don't peck ... so my lot should be grateful for what they've got and STOP PECKING Mad

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