Ok...this is weird

[Allan]

To clarify my reply - What I meant by “bad habit” is that when some birds start eating feathers, it may not stop regardless of what you do. As I said, my birds had plenty of good, high protein food, I supplement with vitamins several days s week, lots of space and I did try the raw meat angle as well by hanging frozen venison in their pen. None of it worked and once he was removed, they went on to eat each other’s feathers.

[ross]

Like smoking . Addicted to taste & habit .

[KimChick]

Interesting problem! My first thought is that tail feathers are very long and too big to swallow.
I had posted a while ago about our rooster standing, letting hens peck at his neck feathers. That I can fathom.
But tail feathers? I can see hens eating the juicy parts at the end where it was pulled out, but not the whole feather.
That's my take on it.

[kenya]

I couldn't believe with the turkey the feathers they would swallow. Some birds are just stupid and I say bye bye.

[ross]

Just like some Humanoids .

[Allan]

Tom, I just remembered something. I have used blu-kote (or however they spell it on the bottle) in the past on hens that were moulting to stop the other birds from picking their pin feathers. It’s for cattle, but it’s not harmful to birds. It worked because they don’t like the colour and won’t touch it. Make sure you wear gloves if you use it or you will have lovely purple fingers for a week. Not sure why it’s not called purple-kote.

[Jaye]

Purple-Kote just doesn't have the same ring to it as Blu-Kote.
Besides, purple is just blue with a bit of red mixed in.

[Kbr42]

Tom, I just remembered something. I have used blu-kote (or however they spell it on the bottle) in the past on hens that were moulting to stop the other birds from picking their pin feathers. It’s for cattle, but it’s not harmful to birds. It worked because they don’t like the colour and won’t touch it. Make sure you wear gloves if you use it or you will have lovely purple fingers for a week. Not sure why it’s not called purple-kote.

Lemon juice will take it off your fingers if you get to it very soon after you spray yourself...lo. gloves are the best.