Battling hens!

[Cryss]

They have 2-3 juvenile molts before about 6 months of age...then may have a partial molt their first fall/winter..then at around 18 months will have their first full adult molt during their second fall/winter, and every fall/winter after that.

Yup, I think thats what we have here. A partial molt.
I went out trying to strategize how in heck I was going to grab Henneth to have a look at her. She is fast an does NOT want to be picked up. Aw darn, she's back to hiding in the coop. Ok...chuck some scratch aws from the coop so i can gather ehhs, ckean some poop, and see if I can get ahold of her without the others investigating. Nope. Fraggle chased her out of the coop grabbing feathers and ran her around the run twice. At that point they had positioned themselves with me between them and begore I knew what was happening Henneth flew to the highest safe point she could find. My head. She seemed quite calm and content, not scratching or wiggling or squawking. Just sitting. I took a chance, reached up, and easy as pie picked her off my head and tucked her under my arm. I brought her in the house and my grandson helped me take this picture. I was so afraid she might freak out and get the dogs chasing her. My dogs only ever see them through the fence. I only checked around her neck and thats where this picture is from. She made such gentle chirps the whole time. I took her back, made sure there was food and water inside the coop, and I again locked the flock out till bedtime which will be about 2 hours total.
So is this molt?

 

[MROO]

They have 2-3 juvenile molts before about 6 months of age...then may have a partial molt their first fall/winter..then at around 18 months will have their first full adult molt during their second fall/winter, and every fall/winter after that.

That's what my little monkeys did - Nankin Bantams. That full molt was a beaut, though - I had six roosters with only two tail feathers between them ... two weeks before the Maryland State Fair ... ACK!

 

[Cryss]

Well if that continues, then you may need to cage Henneth so she can eat/drink in peace

Would it not make more srnse to remove the top hen/ bully/ Fraggle so she loses her status and henneth could rejoin the flock? Or is that not the way?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Those look like new feathers comming in. And it looks like some have been plucked shaft and all. Just a thought do you have perches to jump up on? I use the corners of my run so no one can get cornered.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Would it not make more srnse to remove the top hen/ bully/ Fraggle so she loses her status and henneth could rejoin the flock? Or is that not the way?

Thanks for the photo.
She is molting, so that's part of her problem.

It's hard to know if she even needs to be separated, but if she is not getting to eat/drink, then you may need to do that. Check her crop at night, if it's full that's evidence she is getting to eat.

Each of us have our own opinions about separation, but I've found if I cage the weaker one within the run with her own food/water for a few days, she gets some rest, eats/drinks and usually gains confidence to come back into the flock.

Others may suggest separating the "bully" , it may work. But the thing is Henneth is still low in the pecking order from what I see, if Fraggle is removed, then the other BR is just going to pick up where Fraggle left off.

Just my 2¢

 

[Cryss]

Those look like new feathers comming in. And it looks like some have been plucked shaft and all. Just a thought do you have perches to jump up on? I use the corners of my run so no one can get cornered.

Yes, there is a perch that often all sixwill enjoy a sleepy sunbath on.

 

[ChickNanny13]

They have 2-3 juvenile molts before about 6 months of age...then may have a partial molt their first fall/winter..then at around 18 months will have their first full adult molt during their second fall/winter, and every fall/winter after that.

That's good to know ... Wonder why their molt is fall/winter, that's when they need their feathers the most, you'd think they'd molt during summer

 

[Cryss]

Each of us have our own opinions about separation

Thank you for your insight.
I'm leaving things as they are tomorrow. Maybe it's just a matter of time. If need be I'll make a move of Henneth tomorrow night at bedtime. I'll leave her in the run so she can see and be seen. If that doesn't work I'll try removing Fraggle but out of visual range.

 

[MROO]

Thanks for the photo.
She is molting, so that's part of her problem.

It's hard to know if she even needs to be separated, but if she is not getting to eat/drink, then you may need to do that. Check her crop at night, if it's full that's evidence she is getting to eat.

Each of us have our own opinions about separation, but I've found if I cage the weaker one within the run with her own food/water for a few days, she gets some rest, eats/drinks and usually gains confidence to come back into the flock.

Others may suggest separating the "bully" , it may work. But the thing is Henneth is still low in the pecking order from what I see, if Fraggle is removed, then the other BR is just going to pick up where Fraggle left off.

Just my 2¢

Pull 'em both for a week. then sit back and see what happens to the pecking order. Ought to be interesting!

 

[Cryss]

Pull 'em both for a week. then sit back and see what happens to the pecking order. Ought to be interesting!

That would be interesting for sure. Sadly I only have 1 dog cage that I use for everything from introducing new birds to separating injured birds to breaking broodys.