Bullied/Injured hen after flock integration

[amma123]

Hi there. I'm hoping someone can lend some advice on how to deal with bullying after integrating two flocks. Three weeks ago, we added 3 adult hens (from a friend who moved out of town) to our existing 4-adult-hen flock. They free-range during the day and roost in the coop at night. The first few days there was a small amount of scuffling, as I expected, but for the past two weeks one hen (a Golden Comet, one of the newly added hens) has been relentlessly bullying our Salmon Faverolle, who was bottom hen in the pecking order in our original flock. The bullying has gotten so bad that she chases her around until she can jump on top of her, pull out her head feathers and peck her head until it's bleeding. This Faverolle is the weakest in the social order.

Here is what we've done so far:

• Separate the flocks in their coop at night with a metal grate, so they can see each other but not interact - for about a week. This seemed to help the rest of the flock integrate a bit better, but the Bully still picks on the Faverolle.
• Keep the Bully in the coop during the day and let her out around 4pm for a few hours before roosting...this seemed to work moderately well but is not particularly sustainable, since we only have one coop - plus, she is so dominant that when we let her out she struts around and does her bullying thing again.
• Put Blu-Kote and Neosporin on the Faverolle's injuries, which seemed to help it heal a bit but did not do much to deter the bullying. The Faverolle's feathers are creamy white and buff, so the contrast of the deep purple Blu-Kote is certainly noticeable and I'm wondering if it's just as much of a draw as the red blood.
• This morning, when I let out the flock at 7:30AM (they had been in the coop without the separator for the first time last night, since about 8:30PM) the Faverolle was pecked bloody on her head again, with a gash open on top of her head that looks bad. I treated her again as above, and put her in a dog crate outside with shavings, water, and food so that she could rest and shelter today without being bullied.

I feel terrible that this has been going on for a few weeks and am not sure what the best longer-term solution is. Find a new home for the bully? The other hens in the combined flock seem to be getting along with minimal scuffles...I can separate the Faverolle for a time while she heals but I'm worried this is just going to start anew when I re-introduce her into the flock. I'm concerned that the Faverolle is so weak socially that this problem will not solve itself on it's own, and she won't survive if I leave her in the integrated flock.

Has anyone had an experience like this relentless bullying when integrating two flocks of adult hens? What would you recommend?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Judy]

I would try removing the bully from the flock, completely out of earshot and sight, for a week. Hopefully, when you return her, she will be like a new chicken, at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Yeah, I would second the "remove the bully" advice. As necessary as it is to segregate a sick or injured bird, it does give them the extra burden of having to re-establish themselves each time they are returned to the flock. Put the bully in a "time out" pen and see if that works.

 

[kateseidel]

We put the bully in a large dog crate for a week, with the flock so they could interact if they wanted. After a week, the bully behaved better. That's been a year or so, and she is still the nastiest of the bunch, but not nearly as bad.

 

[amma123]

Thanks everyone for the advice - it seems like we'll have to try separating the bully for awhile...it's hard to imagine her being knocked down a few notches, she's so dominant - but it's worth a shot.

 

[RussianChickens]

You can also try putting a soft not very sticky cloth tape on her head with some gauze over the wound. This may help deter the other chickens from pecking it while it heals.

Had a similar problem with my own hens feet. Not sure how well a bandage will stay on the head and it would require careful removal but I had good luck with it on feet.