Bully and the Bullied

[starqueentnk]

We have 6 chickens that have grown up together. They have never had any problems for the past two years owning them, but now... there is a bully.

The poor bird that is the bullied, is smaller than the rest and has always been more attached to humans than the others. She will follow us around when we are working and watch every move we make.

Today as we were doing chores, we noticed that she was over scratching in a particularly wormy area when another bird came up and attacked her. The dominant bird jumped on her and pecked at her comb. So she ran away to some water. When she started to drink, the dominant bird came over and started attacking again.

We scolded them, but now the little girl is hiding and seems to be nervous. When she walks around she is fluffy and really jerky in her movements.

What do we do? We don't really have a good way to keep them separated as we only have one coop.

Suggestions?

 

[keesmom]

When she walks around she is fluffy and really jerky in her movements.

Does she act like she is ill?

 

[starqueentnk]

No. She is normal and not puffy when she is right next to us. Its when she is out with the others that she gets all "big".

We did a look over on her and she looks fine. The only wound is her comb where she was attacked.

 

[steve232]

Could this hen be getting broody ?