brutalizing low hen

[shaky]

the low hen in the pecking order (bantam EE) is suddenly the victim of harsh head pecking and feather removal. Her nape was red, almost bloody and de-feathered by three standard Orpingtons. Why would this be? They have been peaceful for 2 years!

 

[DaughterOfEve]

thats rough, a few possibles are the ee is molting and bo's are eating her feathers off her, including any new ones poking out making her skin raw. Another possible, she may be ill in some way not visible to you, but the buffs sense a weakness and are reacting to that. Maybe someone else can help more.

 

[Chickiemama1010]

I dont have an answer. Just giving a bump. Good luck. I hate dealing with pickin' chickens

 

[elmo]

From what I've read, if the picked on hen has red or bloody spots, you've got to intervene or the flock will just keep on pecking at that spot. I have no experience with this myself, though, so others will have to advise you on what to do.

I had a problem with a bully hen last fall, but not as bad as what you're dealing with. I isolated the bully in a separate pen several times, reintroducing her periodically to the flock and removing her when I noticed her bullying again. I also set up some "bully baffles" in the pen so that the hen being picked on could find someplace to hide and get out of the mean hen's sight. It also helped that we had a rooster then, because the hen being picked on was his favorite, and he intervened on her behalf, too.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Definitely intervene for the sake of your little hen. Treat her wounds and keep her separated from them, until she heals.

Also, I had a "sudden bully" problem recently, which turned out to be my normally mild-manner top hen, who became broody. Broodies can suddenly become very aggressive - as they set the stage to bring babies into the flock.

ETA: also, if you find out it's really just ONE hen doing the bullying (and she's not broody) you can isolate her, as well. That should help cool down her aggressions, because after a couple days she'll really be very glad to re-join the flock.

 

[shaky]

still going on. All three orpingtons attack the EE on sight. Its weird. She's figured out how to avoid them - she jumps to the top of the coop and stays there all day (@ 4 ft high/ 1.5 meters). We've been feeding her up there, too. the problem continues.

 

[teach1rusl]

Lots of roosts out in the run will help...give her a place to escape to. If it continues, you will have to consider rehoming her. Are you SURE all three are doing it, or could it be just one picking on her???

 

[elmo]

Watch and see who the ringleader is, then take her out of the flock for a while and see if the remaining hens continue to gang up on the lowest ranking hen. Our number 2 hen would join in persecuting the No. 3 hen when Hen No. 1 would get things going, but she'd never do it on her own.

Oh, just thought of another thing. The hen being picked on is the only bantam EE, right? Get a couple more like her and then she won't be the odd hen out in a flock with only the big girls.

Any excuse is a good excuse to get more chickens in my book.

 

[wanderseek]

We have had problems with several of ours getting picked on / pecked on. The bantams have been victims more than the others. My husband read somewhere that you can put axel grease on the woulded areas, and the stink of the stuff will deter the bullies. Out of desperation, we got some and IT WORKS!!!!! I mean, it works INSTANTLY. Hope this helps!

 

[shaky]

I might try the axle grease thing. I'll let you know.
Also, we have a couple of 6 week-olds about the size of the bantam already. I've put her with them in a small closed run and she's left them alone, but she'd rather be out roaming with the big hens.
Yes, teach, I'm sure its all 3 Orps - any of them who see her on the ground run at her, try to pin her and peck her head. Good thing she's fast. She was pretty beat up when it started. Now she's pretty much got the escape routes figured out.