14 week old BR pullet scalped by the flock - please help - I'm worried

[Chew593]

This morning my husband told me he thought there was something wrong with our 14 week old BR pullet. I went out there and she seemed ok to me so I let it slide. Now I wish I hadn't.
I just got home from a funeral and found her scalped in the run. Still alive, but walking in circles and a bloddy mess. My flock turned on her. I had my husband cull her, one of her eyes was missing... what a mess!
So now what do I do? Do I have to worry about the rest of the flock turning on each other? Are there any preventative measurers I can take? What went wrong? Please help, I'm really troubled by all this.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Were they raised together? If not how were they introduced? How long were they together?

 

[Chew593]

Quote:
I have 14 chickens total. 6 of them are 20+ weeks old. The eight (now 7) youngsters were introduced at 6 weeks but were segregated in a separate pen for a couple weeks. They've been together for at least 5-6 weeks with no issues. This one had always acted a little odd.... was sort of a loaner and didn't roost up with the others, but down near the nesting boxes. My husband thought she was developmentally disabled... I just thought she was bottom of the pecking order.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Wow that seems right. Since she never fully integrated in with the flock she might of had something wrong with her. I would think after 5 or 6 weeks they would of all been fine

It just may have been the flocks way of keeping a bad gene from propagating.
I'd keep an eye on them for a bit. It you see and feather plucking I'd step in right away as it may escalate to one being maimed.

 

[Chew593]

would love a little more input on the subject of picking pecking and canniblism

 

[Chew593]

Quote:
Shaggysgirl, thanks so much! I'll do that... I'm so worried about canniblism right now that I have a head ache! I'm worried I'm going to go out there and more will be like she was. I've never seen anything like it, it was like a horror movie. She was upright and walking, but had no skin on her head and neck. It was awful... I appreciate your input and will keep an eye on the rest of them.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Good luck Janine. Keep us post on how they do.

 

[gilroygal]

Odds are, they won't stop now that she is injured. I would separate her right away. I have found that when you get too many chickens in a coop, they do start to attack eack other. You may want to consider allowing them out of the coop during the day.

 

[Chew593]

Quote:
Thank you, but as I stated earlier, we put the injured one down due to the extensivness of the injuries. I have 14 birds in a 20' X 15' run, and their coop is 6'X 12. There's more then enough room. I also let them out for 2-4 hours every evening to free range. They are all on a 50/50 blend of layena/starter and I give them free access to oyster shell. I don't think it's a protein thing tho I could be wrong. I'm leaning towards she was dim... she was the ones my kids loved because she was easy to catch. My son's going to be sad when I pick him up from school.

 

[gilroygal]

Bummer, I know how hard that is.