Broody hen being attacked by flock-mates

[dtress]

I have a hen who was on the top of the pecking order and went broody yesterday. I have had to pull her out of the next 4 times for food and water, and then she retreats right back to the nest. She ruffles her feathers like a turkey would, and has a strange squatting behavior with a desperate drive to get back to the nest. What is concerning me is why all of a sudden all her flockmates have started attacking her as soon as she comes down from the nesting area. It's awful! In the process of trying to protect her, I picked one bird up who wiggled out of my arms and fell to the ground and now has a severe limp!!! Oh, the guilt!

Suffice it to say, I've confined the injured bird and all but one to the coop, and am letting the broody hen and another hen to make peace in the run. At first she continued to be attacked, but after an hour they are lying peacefully in the dirt side by side.

So, my question is how should I proceed. What should take precedent, dealing with the aggression or the broody hen? Will they all become friends again after the broodiness is gone? And what about the injured hen? Should I keep her confined to a small cage so that she can heal? She keeps walking around on it and it is clearly causing her some pain. Finally, what about at night? There's one roosting bar for 5 birds. Do I just let the broody hen sleep where she wants? (in the nesting box last night) Or should I keep her separate? And since she's still laying, doesn't she need access to the nesting box in the morning when she (and all of them) lay their eggs?

Thanks so much for your insight. I have read the other posts on breaking a broody hen, but I don't know if it will make the aggression worse to completely separate her from the flock. Oh, the drama!

 

[sourland]

Because of her change in behavior, the flock regards her as a stranger or vulnerable. They are trying to subordinate her. This behavior is fairly common in some flocks and never seen in others. Sadly, chicken society is not a gentle/kind process.

 

[dtress]

Thanks for your reply. Is it best to let this subordination occur naturally, or should I separate her until the broodiness is over?

I am going to try an elevated cage with wire floor that is suggested many times throughout this site. I have a rabbit cage where the wire holes are about 1"x3". It is very difficult for her to walk around on it, but she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Is this dangerous for her feet? There is no mention in the past posts about what type of wire is best or contraindicated. Any suggestions? I'm sure hardware cloth is best, but I'd love to just use this rabbit cage.

Also, she layed an egg yesterday, so I assume keeping her in the wire cage will prevent laying? She would have stopped laying soon anyway if broody, yes?

It just amazes me how she was able to gather 5 other eggs out of other nesting boxes and roll them into her own. I wish I had a chicken webcam for that maneuver!
Thanks a ton!