comb pecking!

[halhaines]

I have a little flock of four pekin bantam hens. It’s coming up to a year we’ve had them. They have scraps, of course, and one of them (Belinda) is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. Belinda was looking very sleepy this morning and had an upset tummy mess in her trousers so we brought her in to clean and make sure wasn’t dehydrated. We actually had the same thing with one of the others (Pauline) recently, and she’s fine now. But as I’ve tried to reintroduce her this afternoon having only been away for a few hours the other girls really have it in for her, the main thing I’ve not seen before is grabbing Belinda’s comb in their beaks and shaking her about. There’s lots of pouncing and piling up on top of her and it’s all very aggressive and not the usual pecks and jabs. The only place they leave her alone is in the nest box but I don’t want to leave her in there because then she won’t eat/drink and the others can’t lay! Mauren, the top hen, seems most distressed by the whole situation.

Any suggestions at all appreciated!!

 

[aart]

She could be sick....and that's why the others are all piling on.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

Oh, and.... Welcome to BYC! @halhaines
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[halhaines]

Thank you for this - I’m in the UK and have now updated my profile accordingly! Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if she was unwell - and in the past when that’s been the case they jostle and jault the unwell bird as if to say “keep awake” or something.. but this just seems so confrontational...

we’ve got an eglu that was originally for rabbits which has now been adapted with the hen fittings, the run is about 2 meters long and the coop is 80cm x 65cm - we usually have other runs for them in different parts of the garden but with the avian flu outbreak at the moment they have to be locked down.

Appreciate that the lock-in is definitely a contributing factor, the cabin fever, as I know it all too well myself at the moment! But again as I say this seems more than a mild irritant and quite purposeful..

feeding is corn, pellets, sometimes meal worms, corn on the cob or “chicken porridge” and then every so often pak choi or spring greens etc

can take some photos if that helps! Belinda has laid a soft-ish shell egg this afternoon so is clearly not tip top

 

[aart]

but this just seems so confrontational...

When a flock member is ill or weak, it can attract predators and endanger the rest of the flock, so the flock instinctively tries to kill or drive it out.
Chickens can be brutal.

we’ve got an eglu that was originally for rabbits which has now been adapted with the hen fittings, the run is about 2 meters long and the coop is 80cm x 65cm - we usually have other runs for them in different parts of the garden but with the avian flu outbreak at the moment they have to be locked down.

Tight space, especially if they are not used to being confined.
Make the run much bigger if at all possible.
Crowding is usually the number one cause of bullying.

feeding is corn, pellets, sometimes meal worms, corn on the cob or “chicken porridge” and then every so often pak choi or spring greens etc

Pellets are layer feed or....?
Knowing protein and calcium percentages is always good.
How much corn are you giving?
They may need more nutrition.

 

[halhaines]

Thank you for this - I actually remembered we upgraded the run to 3 meters since the rabbits (looked up the measurements online in my last reply) but have now added more to increase to 8 meters by 1.5 - everyone’s got loads of space and added an extra nest space.
Feed I think is probably fine we give them a balance of everything with extra grit etc, though the grumpy hen has been laying all winter so could perhaps be low on nutrients.. and that’s making her snappy?

it definitely started when Pauline (grumpy hen) was taken out for a couple of hours and has felt since she needs to assert herself above the bottom position. Belinda isn’t trying to climb the pecking order and is quite used to being at the bottom but Pauline has a real chip on her shoulder about it. Things have got much better the last few days with Maureen (top bird) doing a great job of keeping the peace.

 

[Davethebirdman]

I have a little flock of four pekin bantam hens. It’s coming up to a year we’ve had them. They have scraps, of course, and one of them (Belinda) is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. Belinda was looking very sleepy this morning and had an upset tummy mess in her trousers so we brought her in to clean and make sure wasn’t dehydrated. We actually had the same thing with one of the others (Pauline) recently, and she’s fine now. But as I’ve tried to reintroduce her this afternoon having only been away for a few hours the other girls really have it in for her, the main thing I’ve not seen before is grabbing Belinda’s comb in their beaks and shaking her about. There’s lots of pouncing and piling up on top of her and it’s all very aggressive and not the usual pecks and jabs. The only place they leave her alone is in the nest box but I don’t want to leave her in there because then she won’t eat/drink and the others can’t lay! Mauren, the top hen, seems most distressed by the whole situation.

Any suggestions at all appreciated!!

I have a little flock of four pekin bantam hens. It’s coming up to a year we’ve had them. They have scraps, of course, and one of them (Belinda) is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. Belinda was looking very sleepy this morning and had an upset tummy mess in her trousers so we brought her in to clean and make sure wasn’t dehydrated. We actually had the same thing with one of the others (Pauline) recently, and she’s fine now. But as I’ve tried to reintroduce her this afternoon having only been away for a few hours the other girls really have it in for her, the main thing I’ve not seen before is grabbing Belinda’s comb in their beaks and shaking her about. There’s lots of pouncing and piling up on top of her and it’s all very aggressive and not the usual pecks and jabs. The only place they leave her alone is in the nest box but I don’t want to leave her in there because then she won’t eat/drink and the others can’t lay! Mauren, the top hen, seems most distressed by the whole situation.

Any suggestions at all appreciated!!