Attacked Pullet

[Heatherella]

We introduced 4 babies to our flock this summer to add to the two that were hatched by our broody hen. Everything has been going fine! The babies are now 3 months old. We have a large coop/ run and they free range during the day.

This afternoon one of the pullets was viciously attacked by the older hens. I feel utterly responsible.

Here is what happened:

I have a crossbeak cockerel that I feed separately. He was eating his mash outside the run by himself when I heard a commotion. Three older hens were on top of my little pullet and before I could get to her, they tore the skin off the top of her head. I feel like this is totally my fault! I think everyone wanted at his mash and it created the perfect storm.

I have separated her and cared for her wound which is pretty bad looking. I have a plan for her nursing care. I am confident her wound will heal. She is eating already.

That said, I have NO idea what I should do about keeping the young birds with the older ones now. I thought we had a great set up with places for the young ones to go where the big ones can't bother them and multiple feeding/ water stations. Should I assume this was an isolated incident? The pullet got trapped in a corner and couldn't escape.

I do have a small coop we aren't using right now. Should I throw in the towel on integrating and separate the young ones?

Ugh! Advice would be so appreciated. This is so sad and upsetting.

 

[azygous]

She will heal with proper wound care. But the integration has probably been set back a bit. When something like this happens, it can ruin self confidence that's required to adjust gradually to the flock social order. Fear of attack can create chronic victims that never get brave enough to stand up for themselves. Gradual re-integration is required.

That involves creating a safe pen for the pullets to recover from this terrifying incident and then gradual mingling each day until confidence rebuilds. Here is how I do it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

You already know that you need to go through the run and get rid of all places where a youngster can get trapped without means of escape. I have a complex run with partitions. The partitions help create safe areas but they can also be barriers to escape. So I've installed pass-throughs everywhere a youngster can get trapped. Also, try to create vertical escapes - shelves platforms, and perches and these can be used as auxillary feeding and watering stations so youngsters aren't weakened by deprivation from feeders and water.

 

[Heatherella]

She will heal with proper wound care. But the integration has probably been set back a bit. When something like this happens, it can ruin self confidence that's required to adjust gradually to the flock social order. Fear of attack can create chronic victims that never get brave enough to stand up for themselves. Gradual re-integration is required.

That involves creating a safe pen for the pullets to recover from this terrifying incident and then gradual mingling each day until confidence rebuilds. Here is how I do it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

You already know that you need to go through the run and get rid of all places where a youngster can get trapped without means of escape. I have a complex run with partitions. The partitions help create safe areas but they can also be barriers to escape. So I've installed pass-throughs everywhere a youngster can get trapped. Also, try to create vertical escapes - shelves platforms, and perches and these can be used as auxillary feeding and watering stations so youngsters aren't weakened by deprivation from feeders and water.

Thank you so much for the input. I've moved the young ones into my vacant coop with a separate run. The runs are all attached so they can still see eachother. I think the young ones look more relaxed already. I feel terrible that this happened and wish I had kept them separate from the beginning. They can live in this coop forever if need be. I've had chickens for many years and I have never wanted to try integration. This is why we have three different coops! Lol!

 

[azygous]

Actually, integration is much easier when started very early. Currently, I have new chicks and they began to mingle with the adult flock just this week as they turned two weeks. They've been raised in full view and proximity to the adult flock since I brought them home at four days old.

They have a brooding pen in the main run with chick size openings so the pen is their safe refuge where the adults can't go. Chicks learn by observing the adult flock and they learn which chickens are aggressive and to avoid.

It's a relatively new and innovative way to raise and integrate chicks that many of us here employ with good success. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[Heatherella]

This is actually what we did. There is a built in brooder in the coop, as well as a separate, large nesting box for my broody hen and her two babies, all in the coop. We got four more baby chicks to add to the two hatched here so there was more of a balance in ages. I was hoping there would be strength in numbers. It's a large shed so they have plenty of room. When Mama decided it was time for the babies to go off on their own, we put all the babies together and gave them access to the area that the big chickens can't get to. The young ones don't even go into their area anymore. The young ones roost on one side and the older hens roost on the other. We had no problems for three months.

I think it was my fault because everyone went into a frenzy to get out to the food where I was feeding my special needs chicken and the pullet got caught in the crossfire. They all love the mash that he eats. Normally, they are all in the run and it's fine. I've even seen adult hens sharing food dishes with the younger ones.

I think I will utilize my extra coop from now on. I feel awful that this happened.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

 

[McChooky]

This is actually what we did. There is a built in brooder in the coop, as well as a separate, large nesting box for my broody hen and her two babies, all in the coop. We got four more baby chicks to add to the two hatched here so there was more of a balance in ages. I was hoping there would be strength in numbers. It's a large shed so they have plenty of room. When Mama decided it was time for the babies to go off on their own, we put all the babies together and gave them access to the area that the big chickens can't get to. The young ones don't even go into their area anymore. The young ones roost on one side and the older hens roost on the other. We had no problems for three months.

I think it was my fault because everyone went into a frenzy to get out to the food where I was feeding my special needs chicken and the pullet got caught in the crossfire. They all love the mash that he eats. Normally, they are all in the run and it's fine. I've even seen adult hens sharing food dishes with the younger ones.

I think I will utilize my extra coop from now on. I feel awful that this happened.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

I ferment a small amount of chicken feed to give it to my chickens every day .Your chickens would probably love it much as mine if you tried it!

 

[Heatherella]

I ferment a small amount of chicken feed to give it to my chickens every day .Your chickens would probably love it much as mine if you tried it!

I've never tried that before! How do you do it?

 

[McChooky]

I've never tried that before! How do you do it?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fermenting-chicken-feed-a-straightforward-method.75967/