Sunshade82
Songster
Short story: can I put a hen in a separate cage in the run so she’s with her pals, but not getting her feathers pecked? She needs time to heal but I don’t want her to have a hard time reintegrating back in...
Long story: The last few weeks I’ve notice my 1 yr old EE was missing feathers on the base of her tail (downy feathers exposed). I looked her over she wasn’t acting sick and I couldn’t see any evidence of mites/lice. I watched for feather picking but I didn’t notice anyone else picking on her...only her grooming herself.
Now this week she is starting to lose feathers on her shoulders/wings?...and I notice some missing on the back of her neck. Tonight as they were going to roost she was acting afraid of everyone and her tail was down. I checked her over and her shoulder/wing was starting to show inflamed skin so I took her out. Right before I took her two different hens started pecking at her.
I want to get her back out there before everyone heads out to the run in the morning so hopefully they won’t notice she was missing during the night. She is already bottom of the pecking order and I don’t want to make it worse by reintegrating her later.
Can she spend a few days in a crate in the run? Will that still be isolating? I’m getting some pick-no-more in the am...but I want her to not feel afraid and stressed either.
Some info-
-I have 5 hens all 1 year old.
-My EE has always been anxious and flighty.
-I have another hen that’s a jerk.
-EE tried going broody for a day 2 weeks ago. (Hasn’t laid an egg since)
-It’s been over 100 degrees the last week. Iced water + misters near run.
-coop has 5ft per bird.
-Run has 12ft per bird.
-10” per bird roost space. (More if they didn’t all cram onto the top roost-I’m trying to remedy this)
-cal ranch layer feed +oyster & grit on side
-2 feeders and 2 waterers (+feed in treat dispensers as a toy)
Btw I’m 1 year in and really trying the best I can. Sometimes my research doesn’t answer everything so I come here. As soon as I learn I’m doing something wrong, I’m real quick to change things up so please be kind.
Long story: The last few weeks I’ve notice my 1 yr old EE was missing feathers on the base of her tail (downy feathers exposed). I looked her over she wasn’t acting sick and I couldn’t see any evidence of mites/lice. I watched for feather picking but I didn’t notice anyone else picking on her...only her grooming herself.
Now this week she is starting to lose feathers on her shoulders/wings?...and I notice some missing on the back of her neck. Tonight as they were going to roost she was acting afraid of everyone and her tail was down. I checked her over and her shoulder/wing was starting to show inflamed skin so I took her out. Right before I took her two different hens started pecking at her.
I want to get her back out there before everyone heads out to the run in the morning so hopefully they won’t notice she was missing during the night. She is already bottom of the pecking order and I don’t want to make it worse by reintegrating her later.
Can she spend a few days in a crate in the run? Will that still be isolating? I’m getting some pick-no-more in the am...but I want her to not feel afraid and stressed either.
Some info-
-I have 5 hens all 1 year old.
-My EE has always been anxious and flighty.
-I have another hen that’s a jerk.
-EE tried going broody for a day 2 weeks ago. (Hasn’t laid an egg since)
-It’s been over 100 degrees the last week. Iced water + misters near run.
-coop has 5ft per bird.
-Run has 12ft per bird.
-10” per bird roost space. (More if they didn’t all cram onto the top roost-I’m trying to remedy this)
-cal ranch layer feed +oyster & grit on side
-2 feeders and 2 waterers (+feed in treat dispensers as a toy)
Btw I’m 1 year in and really trying the best I can. Sometimes my research doesn’t answer everything so I come here. As soon as I learn I’m doing something wrong, I’m real quick to change things up so please be kind.
