Flock attacking young pullet (Photos of injury)

[ForFlocksSake]

Im pretty upset right now. Not sure where to post this because its behavior and injury issues.

I have 4 pullets who are almost 10 weeks old. I did the whole integration process and have had them roaming free in the very large run with my 5 older pullets (7 months) for almost a week now. They seemed to be doing ok. Of course there is plenty of chasing and pecking but nothing that I considered out of the ordinary for order establishment. Today I noticed on my camera that the younger ones were super huddled up behind the water bucked and the big ones were VERY interested in them. I ran out to see what was going on and saw them all pecking my Polish girls tail feathers. She was bleeding pretty good. I brought her inside, cleaned her off and put her back only to see them all (including the 10 week olds) immediately go for her bloody tail feathers. I grabbed her back and put her in the garage back In their overnight cage (I don't have them in the coop overnight yet). She's so stressed in there by herself, but her tail looks awful. I sprayed some vetericyn on there but not sure what else I should be doing. Am I supposed to keep her separated now from ALL the chickens? She's just so upset right now being alone.

Im attaching a picture. Please help me help her and my flock to cohabitate.

 

[LaFleche]

Can she see or are her eyes hidden by overgrown crest feathers?

Is she the only Polish in your flock?

Did you see who the instigator was?

Do theyhave enough space and clutter in the run to get out of the olders faces and hide from sight if need be?

How many feeders and waterers do they have?

Please post pictures of your set-up.

ETA: How much protein does their feed contain? What else do you feed?

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Can she see or are her eyes hidden by overgrown crest feathers?

Is she the only Polish in your flock?

Did you see who the instigator was?

Do theyhave enough space and clutter in the run to get out of the olders faces and hide from sight if need be?

How many feeders and waterers do they have?

Please post pictures of your set-up.

ETA: How much protein does their feed contain? What else do you feed?

Her crest isn't covering her eyes

She is the only polish but not the only crested bird. I haven't seen her getting any more attention than the other pullets.

I have no idea who instigated. There are 5 older ones and I only know the one who definitely didnt instigate.

Lots of clutter in there and places to run behind. Problem is they run behind something like a water bucket and then the big ones have them cornered. The run is 200 Square ft and in an L shape so it's almost like 2 separate spaces. I usually find one group on one side and the another on the other side.

There are two waterers and feeders. one in each section of the run. I have watched both groups eating and drinking comfortably

Ill grab photos in a bit.

Feed is 20% protein. I usually bring out some food scraps later in the day. Eggs, fruit, and often toss a handful of black soldier fly larva in there when im out collecting eggs.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Here are the two parts of the run.
I attempted to separate both portions, little ones on one side and big ones on the other, but the little ones started pecking at her wounds now too. Eventually she just stood there and would take tiny little stiff steps. I removed her and put her back in the garage. Not sure what to do from here. She’s clearly in pain and her tail feathers are almost completely plucked out.

 

[Mrs. K]

Ugh - that would be ugly.

While you do have clutter, you don't really have places where birds can get out of sight of each other. Tacking up some large cardboard to that roost, setting a food bowl on each side, so that birds eating at one bowl, can't see who is eating at another.

I would watch them carefully to see if they pick a new victim. Sometimes they will. Pin less peepers might really help get this integration to work.

But sometimes a bird just does not fit in a flock.

Mrs K

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Ugh - that would be ugly.

While you do have clutter, you don't really have places where birds can get out of sight of each other. Tacking up some large cardboard to that roost, setting a food bowl on each side, so that birds eating at one bowl, can't see who is eating at another.

I would watch them carefully to see if they pick a new victim. Sometimes they will. Pin less peepers might really help get this integration to work.

But sometimes a bird just does not fit in a flock.

Mrs K

Thank you. I’m hoping this is just a fluke. Maybe one of the big birds got a good peck, drew blood and then it was just chaos after that.

I have her isolated in her own crate next to the night crate for the other little ones. Tomorrow I’ll put her in the run in a separate cage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Problem is that once a bird draws blood, all the others will get attracted - chickens are very interested in red so they're being drawn in by the blood. Your plan so far sounds good: isolate her in view of the others and give her time to heal up a bit, so the wounded area isn't immediately attractive to the others.

For clutter, any clutter near or up against walls should be pulled away a bit, they need at least 2 possible entrances around each obstacle so they can't get cornered.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Problem is that once a bird draws blood, all the others will get attracted - chickens are very interested in red so they're being drawn in by the blood. Your plan so far sounds good: isolate her in view of the others and give her time to heal up a bit, so the wounded area isn't immediately attractive to the others.

For clutter, any clutter near or up against walls should be pulled away a bit, they need at least 2 possible entrances around each obstacle so they can't get cornered.

Yes that makes sense. I think that’s how this happened in the first place. I have 5 gallon buckets on cinder blocks in corners for water. The 4 youngins were wedging themselves behind those when they were getting chased. It basically trapped them and made a pile of chick butts to be pecked. I’m guessing my polish has her butt most available in the pile.

I may be naive, but I don’t think this is because shes a polish chicken and looks different because they didn’t go for her head. Her tail looks like all the others.

Appreciate your advice and also your opinion on my plan. This is a first for me so it’s nice to know my plan is on track.

 

[LaFleche]

She needs to be completely healed before letting her mingle with the flock again.

Spray her pecked bloody butt generously with BlueKote this will helo with the healing and cover any red from the blood.

Before reintegrating her, spray as well the butts of all the others so not to make her more interesting than the others.

BlueKote does not taste very nice and I had good success with the above mentioned approach when reintegrating previously injured birds.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I gave her another bath today to get as much dried blood off of her as I could. This is what she looks like now. The other little ones are poking their heads through the isolation cage attempting to get to the area. Are they able to smell blood? There’s dried blood inside the hollowed out tubes. How long does something like this take to heal completely to the point where the others aren’t noticing blood?

I ordered blukote but it won’t be here till next weekend. I also ordered This spray that’s supposed to reduce cannibalism. Anyone ever try this?