Chicken Attacked and Now Pecking from Other Chicks Out of Hand

[Brooksie2323]

I have a chicken that has has a very rough week! Last Friday morning I woke up to find our dogs playing tug of war with our Buff Butter! The coop hadn't been closed the night before and the chickens were out in the morning when the dogs were let out. I thought the poor chicken was dead for sure, but she surprisingly survived!! We kept her in the house for a night and away from the 4 other chickens so we could clean her up and observe her.

The next day she seemed fine and we let her return with the flock. But now the poor chicken is having trouble with pecking from the rest of the girls. They chase her around and gang up on her. They won't leave her alone whether it's one-on-one or the whole group of them pecking her. I would hate for her to survive the awful dog attack and now be hurt by the other chickens!!

We got all of the chickens at the same time and they are now 1 year old. Is this normal behavior? Are they re-establishing the pecking order after the attack? How long will this last?

Thanks for any feedback or advice!

Brooksie

 

[krista74]

If she has any wounds or blood showing, the other chickens will peck at it until she dies. Chickens are opportunistic feeders, and the sight of blood is like waving a red flag to a bull!

I'd check her over for any injuries, and if you see any blood segregate her out from the flock until she is 100% healed up.

- Krista

 

[aart]

...or put her in a wire dog crate in the coop, or somehow separate her with wire mesh, so the others can see her but not touch her.

This method should help with re-integrating her when she's all healed up.