Bloody Comb

[mbshan08]

Yesterday I caught one of my girls going after one of the others. She would pin her down and was pecking at her neck and comb. She had plucked a few of the small feathers from her neck and put a few pecks on her comb before i was able to get to them. I have no seperated the hurt one from the others. (i have 4 hens total) THe other 2 seem to be doing fine with the one who was doing the attacking. I have cleaned the wounds with peroxide. I have read you can use blue kote, I have contacted a few of my local feed stores and they do no carry it. I have read you can use blue food coloring also? I was just wondering if thats true? ALso when she does heel will she have a hard time being put back with the others? Will they want to pick at her again since she had been away for a few days? I had read it was best to reintroduce her at night? Does this matter?

 

[sourland]

The others will definately try to subordinate her. When you reintroduce her, take the most aggressive hen out and keep her away for a matter of days. Given the fact that she has a history of being picked on by the others, I would closely monitor the reintroduction.

 

[mbshan08]

I put the hen that was attacked in a dog crate in the run area this morning so they could still be around one another but they couldnt peck at her. I was able to find farnam blue lotion (i was told it was the same as the blu-kote) so i am going this afternoon to pick that up and give it a try. will i be able to put her back in after i apply the blue lotion? or still keep her housed serperate for a few days?