Kitchen Garden Forum

Apple cider vinegar, how much should I use in the birds' water. One person said a few 'drops', another said 5%. Is there any hard and fast rule?

Over zealous treading. My cockerel has stripped the feathers off his favourite hen so she looks oven ready, poor thing. Should I separate the cockerel or the hen to give her a rest? My chickens are free range. I don't really want to cause either bird stress by keeping them apart, but better than shooting the cockerel as one person suggested! Should I be treating the hen's bare back with anything? She does not seem to be in pain and there are no cuts or scratches - yet! There has also been a suggestion of putting a saddle on her! Where can I get this and is it an effective answer?

If I want to give my birds a bit more protein in their diet to give them a bit of a boost, what do you recommend?

Can anyone recommend a comprehensive book about keeping chickens? They all seem a bit generalised to me.

Thanks for your attention. I look forward to your answers.

Hi Quatro

I have one cockerel (Rocky) and one hen (Selsey) so she cops for it all day every day. She is a bit fluffy just above her tail feathers, but it never seems to bother her. If she's had enough she jumps up high somewhere or hides under a hedge until he goes away.

That said, you really should pick up your bald chicken and open her wings out. Spurs can cause huge damage which you can't even see normally. Worth a look. If she's in a bad way then you will need to give her some time out.

Can't help with the vinegar question I'm afraid.

Katie Thear's books are good and there is a 'comprehensive encyclopedia of chickens' if my memory serves me right. I'll try to remember who wrote it.

There's a Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens by Esther Verhoef & Aad Rijs
ISBN 90 366 1592 5

I have this book but there's nothing in the index about Apple Cide Vinegar amd I can't find any referece to it on a quick skim through.

I would suggest you call the Wernlas Collection, Sue and Shaun know everything about chickens and very happy to answer questions.

http://www.wernlas.com/home.html

The Country Smallholding association recommends 10ml per gallon for cider vinegar in hens water. It also says to be careful not to put too much in as the acid will disolve galvanised drinkers.

Cockerels can make an awful mess of the hens's backs. We had a rampant cockerel who wouldn't leave any of the hens alone and when he was eventually despatched (very sad, but tasty) the hens seemed so relieved. They had become frightened to be the first ones out of the hut in the morning and were so much happier without him.

As for extra protein, some people recommend feeding the odd bit of meaty dog food to the hens when they are moulting or need a boost. I sometimes give mine Butchers Tripe - the one without any poultry in it, and they love it. It seems to improve the shell quality when they've been laying for a long time.

You can get poultry saddles to protect your hen ! lots of good info on here
http://forums.thepoultrykeeper.co.uk/index.php