Bullied SWEET hen being bullied by the whole flock all of a sudden...she is so sweet and so kind...m

[mkworden09]

Please help my poor hen being bullied by the whole flock!

We have 8 chickens that have all seemed to get along ok (we had 7 baby chicks and 1 adult hen so it did take a little while to integrate them together, but that was last year).
I now have one Buff Orpington that is being bullied by the entire flock. They are all molting and I think she may have hurt her comb and had a little blood, but then they really started picking on her and one morning I came out and her whole head was covered in dried blood. She is now running from any chicken that comes near her. The top hen really is bullying her right now. First I removed her from the flock and had her in the garage in a crate for the night, but I started to get nervous she really would have trouble going back in, so I then switched it and moved the hen that was being really mean to her in the crate at night and have that one bully hen gated off in the run.
I check at night in the coop and she is sleeping all by herself while the others are on the roosts happy as can be. My concern in the cold winter nights in Central New York and also what will happen when I put the bully hen back in the run with them all.....Please help...any suggestions???? Thanks in advance for any help, she is my favorite and I am in panic mode over her right now....

 

[Cynthia12]

Sounds like you tried the right things! You just need to do it longer. Is it only one of the other hens that start it? You may want to put that one separate for a while. I'm thinking if you put the one that is bullied away for a while, then they will just pick on it again thinking...newcomer! Put the bully away for longer.

 

[SoldierSailor]

I had a silkie that was tortured mercilessly by all the other. Pulled out her whole crown.

I did most of the things you have done. In the end I ended up building another smaller coop and run

removing her and getting two other silkies to keep her company. As of Sep 28th her crown is almost all the way back.

We had a barred rock in our first flock and we removed her and gave her to a free range farm.

I wish I could tell you they will all be nice after a while but..............

 

[pattyhen]

I would put blue kote on her head where they pecked her. I think it has a nasty taste and no one will peck her. I would put the biggest bully in a crate away from all the others. Leave her there for about 5 days. I hope this works for you I can't stand it when my chickens pick on one another. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[pattyhen]

I had a silkie that was tortured mercilessly by all the other. Pulled out her whole crown.

I did most of the things you have done. In the end I ended up building another smaller coop and run

removing her and getting two other silkies to keep her company. As of Sep 28th her crown is almost all the way back.

We had a barred rock in our first flock and we removed her and gave her to a free range farm.

I wish I could tell you they will all be nice after a while but..............

Oh my gosh those chickens really plucked her bald. She looks so much better now and I'm glad you found a solution for the problem.

 

[mkworden09]

Thank you everyone!! I will go and pick up the Blu-kote tomorrow!! I will keep you updated! I will take a picture of her tomorrow, although she looks so much better than she did three days ago. It was awful!!

Thanks again!!!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings and . Pleased you joined our community! Best of luck with your bullied Silkie.

 

[drumstick diva]

You could try pinless peepers on your bullies, it prevents birds from seeing straight ahead, so their aim is off. They will focus their attention on the peepers and may even forget to bother her.

Put "pinless peepers," in the search box to get information about them. I also wouldn't worry about re-introducing the mean ones in crates to the flock. I'm pretty sure they will go back to being bullies. In fact, it would be great if you put them back and THEY , GOT BULLIED. They might have a major change of attitude, which would be great.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[QueenMisha]

Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.