Bullying

[WCB]

I have 5 Isa Browns. Three are 2+ and two are 1+. A couple of weeks ago I noticed one of the older ones not doing so well and at the sane time there was aggressive behaviour towards her by a couple of the others. After watching for a bit it became clear they were deliberately keeping her away feed and water. She'd become quite weak. Nasty! I isolated her in an area of the run and she dived into the feed and water immediately. After a couple of days she’d rallied nicely and was getting stronger. That was about a week ago. There doesn’t seem to be a problem at night when they’re roosting So I let her out of isolation for the night. Today I let her out of isolation while I was working around the run and coop. She keeps to herself but clearly wants the company of the others. Not happening. At one point she was hiding out in the coop and one nasty one went out of her way to go into the coop and chase her out. I feel really bad for her. I know there’s a pecking order but to deliberately go out of their way to bully - is that normal? And the attacks are vicious.

 

[nuthatched]

Try another adding another feeder out of eyeliner with the first. Also give the bullied hen a good once over, the bullied bird. The other birds might sense there's something wrong and want her away from them so predators single her out

 

[WCB]

Try another adding another feeder out of eyeliner with the first. Also give the bullied hen a good once over, the bullied bird. The other birds might sense there's something wrong and want her away from them so predators single her out

Thank you for the suggestions. I do have a couple of feed and water stations. It is difficult to have them out of line of sight from each other. She tends to keep to herself and when others come near (that aren’t bullying) she will move away and stay very still. Very subservient. I have checked her as best I can - other than something internal there’s nothing I can see. She’s eating and drinking well. Always happy to seem me and talks away. Guessing this bullying behaviour can be a normal thing then.

 

[SueB46]

I'm interested in knowing what happened to your birds as I'm experiencing this right now with my 4 Isa's. One started molting and the bully was relentless, I put the bully in bird jail for 3 day and let her back into the coop at night, but the picked on one is scared of all of them. I do have food/water in the coop as she won't leave it. It's been about 3 weeks now, feathers are coming in but she's not getting better as far as sticking up for herself. Now I have another that has started on her since the other bully stopped. TIA