Bullying, Egg-Eating, and Depression?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

A couple more. Trying to get her back but it's hard to pick up in camera. Just a bit of a crooked hunchback (small lump that feels like bone, slightly off center, angling her tail).

 

[Chickassan]

Question? How many other girls besides Darla are laying?

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Question? How many other girls besides Darla are laying?

4 others are laying besides Darla. The four bosses.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

You need to remove the Wyandotte and the Plymouth Rock from the flock for a few weeks so that the other chickens can make a new pecking order. Then once you reintroduce the bullies to the flock they will need to reintegrate with the flock. If this doesn’t work then you need to seriously consider rehoming the bullies or Darla.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

You need to remove the Wyandotte and the Plymouth Rock from the flock for a few weeks so that the other chickens can make a new pecking order. Then once you reintroduce the bullies to the flock they will need to reintegrate with the flock. If this doesn’t work then you need to seriously consider rehoming the bullies or Darla.

Yes we might put them in the isolation cell for a while, at least Drusilla the GLW, since she's the main culprit. It's crazy how cognizant Darla is of her presence, she makes sure to keep a wide berth.

This morning the bullying has been minimal to non-existent. So far.

That said I'm wondering if I should take Darla in for the day to see if she lays/needs to. I hate doing it because she can barely figure out how to eat or drink by herself (she gets so confused without seeing others), but if it's just for the afternoon it may be okay.

 

[sunrise.superman]

I have a little Mille Fleur d'Uccle, Poppy, that was ostracized in my cousin's flock. Not allowed to roost or eat unless she could find a spot by herself. My cousin brooded a bunch of chicks for both of us and I took the d'Uccle when I took home the babies at about 7 weeks bc my cousin felt so sorry for her and after nearly a year she just wasn't working well with the others bullying her. I left Poppy with the babies but left her a nice perch she could fly to if needed. Once everyone was integrated with the older hens enough...they were bossy (SUPER bossy Jersey Giant and 2 of the 4 Buff Orps) but left the littles alone for the most part as long as they weren't in the immediate space...Poppy really started to flourish. I was worried she was a bit too dumb, but she just needed a chance it seems. She was the boss of the littles for quite a while and then bc she had some full grown hens hanging with her the olders quit harassing her so much. Now after a year, she has moved up to about the middle of a pack of 11 hens. She can guard tidbits I throw out, chooses her nest box, gets her choice of roosts, even steals a bit from some of the big hens she was with as younger chicks. Lately she's started crowing! She's a little oddball but she finally found her place.

 

[Chickassan]

Ohhhh, think iv'e found at least a chunk of Darla's woes.
She's in the pecking order now with your meanies, it started the split second she laid her first egg.
She's the low hen.
Her treatment wont change until an even more docile hen starts to lay or Darla kicks somebody's butt and moves up in rank.

4 others are laying besides Darla. The four bosses.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Th

I have a little Mille Fleur d'Uccle, Poppy, that was ostracized in my cousin's flock. Not allowed to roost or eat unless she could find a spot by herself. My cousin brooded a bunch of chicks for both of us and I took the d'Uccle when I took home the babies at about 7 weeks bc my cousin felt so sorry for her and after nearly a year she just wasn't working well with the others bullying her. I left Poppy with the babies but left her a nice perch she could fly to if needed. Once everyone was integrated with the older hens enough...they were bossy (SUPER bossy Jersey Giant and 2 of the 4 Buff Orps) but left the littles alone for the most part as long as they weren't in the immediate space...Poppy really started to flourish. I was worried she was a bit too dumb, but she just needed a chance it seems. She was the boss of the littles for quite a while and then bc she had some full grown hens hanging with her the olders quit harassing her so much. Now after a year, she has moved up to about the middle of a pack of 11 hens. She can guard tidbits I throw out, chooses her nest box, gets her choice of roosts, even steals a bit from some of the big hens she was with as younger chicks. Lately she's started crowing! She's a little oddball but she finally found her place.

This is really heartening. Thank you. We thought about getting her a flock of polishes so she could have her odd gal group. Right now she luckily has the lower rung girls to hang out with (the two non-layers, our EE and BO). They are always together. I think her body matured faster than her mind and she is not ready to be one of the big girls.

Also, so far she always has a choice roosting spot every night. I'm hoping with time things may even out okay. And if not... We have an excuse to get more chicks.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Ohhhh, think iv'e found at least a chunk of Darla's woes.
She's in the pecking order now with your meanies, it started the split second she laid her first egg.
She's the low hen.
Her treatment wont change until an even more docile hen starts to lay or Darla kicks somebody's butt and moves up in rank.

The funny thing is, we named them after the female-forward cast of Buffy the vampire Slayer. Sure enough, the two running things happened to be the two we named Buffy and Willow (as chicks)-- talk about self-fufilling prophecy. They are kind and good watchers but have a "bigger fish to fry" demeanor and don't get caught up in the petty drama. And sure enough: the meanies under them are Cordelia (BR), who has an attitude but is not truly evil, and Drusilla (GLW), who is the axis of evil. Be careful what you name your hens!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock @sorce went out to take some Glamour shots this a.m. Empty crop which she was busily filling when I brought two separate dishes of morning mash (though she constantly keeps a wide berth from the biggest bully, always cognizant of which dish she's at). She was drinking plenty too. I'm hesitant to take her to the vet today if that'll only stress her out more... I initially wanted to check for egg binding and maybe have her poop tested. I could barely get her still enough for a picture.

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I think she looks fine. I don't see any pecking wounds/scabs to her comb or wattles, so they are not pecking her hard, she's just low in the pecking order. I would just observe and let them work it all out.
Doubtful she is egg bound - she's eating/drinking, moving around. An egg bound pullet/hen will isolate herself, not eat/drink, stand hunch up/like a penguin, or find a place to lay still.