Chicken Being bullied

[jlebows]

I got six chicks last May 1st and they got on wonderfully until a couple days ago. The friendliest lady June, an Isa Brown is being picked on by almost all the other birds. Most just give her a peck and she dashes off. However, a golden comet is grabbing and pulling out feathers. I’ve seen it several times. When I see her bullied I grab the bully and hold her down to the ground for 10 seconds or hold them upside down. However, it doesn’t seem to be stopping. Every time I go out there I see it. She is staying away from the others and she had some white feathers showing on her side. No blood yet but I’m concerned that soon there will be some bare skin. I don’t know what else to do, they have a big run, it’s about 14x12 for the six birds and I but a few items in there to break things up. She has been hoping up on the top of the feeder or on top of a two sided manger I put out there to get away from the others. The run is big enough that I could fence a small piece off and put her in with the bird not picking on her. However I’d have to build a second little coop and I really don’t want to. I also don’t know if this the right thing to do. Is this the natural order of things and will eventually calm down? Or should I go through all the work to separate for a few weeks? I have no idea what to do. Here is a picture, you can see the white patch where her feathers are missing. She is my fav bird of course, maybe they are jealous.

 

[CIuck]

I got six chicks last May 1st and they got on wonderfully until a couple days ago. The friendliest lady June, an Isa Brown is being picked on by almost all the other birds. Most just give her a peck and she dashes off. However, a golden comet is grabbing and pulling out feathers. I’ve seen it several times. When I see her bullied I grab the bully and hold her down to the ground for 10 seconds or hold them upside down. However, it doesn’t seem to be stopping. Every time I go out there I see it. She is staying away from the others and she had some white feathers showing on her side. No blood yet but I’m concerned that soon there will be some bare skin. I don’t know what else to do, they have a big run, it’s about 14x12 for the six birds and I but a few items in there to break things up. She has been hoping up on the top of the feeder or on top of a two sided manger I put out there to get away from the others. The run is big enough that I could fence a small piece off and put her in with the bird not picking on her. However I’d have to build a second little coop and I really don’t want to. I also don’t know if this the right thing to do. Is this the natural order of things and will eventually calm down? Or should I go through all the work to separate for a few weeks? I have no idea what to do. Here is a picture, you can see the white patch where her feathers are missing. She is my fav bird of course, maybe they are jealous.

I am definitely following this thread, my EE is being picked on and she is getting her head feathers plucked out. I have a small coop but I even see this happening outside. I feel so bad it always ends up being the sweetest of the bunch. Good luck with June! Im not an expert at all so I have no idea what to do

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can we get photos of coop and run? Maybe the clutter amount or placement can be improved to give her more hiding spots.

 

[jlebows]

Sure here are some photos. Took the ones in the run from the opposite corners. Plenty of room for 6 I think.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You could use a piece or two more of clutter, maybe one of the chairs sitting outside the area or a saw horse with a piece of scrap wood attached to make a solid wall?

For things like the existing waterer or the perch set between two stumps, I'd move further from the wall, so there's enough space for them to get all the way around it, which prevents birds from getting cornered. I actually have almost all my obstacles away from the walls so there's quite a lot of options in going around objects which helps put distance between birds.

Also tossing in a pile of dried leaves or straw, or even raking up bedding into a pile, will give them more busy themselves with digging through.

 

[cmom]

Normally there is an alpha bully when there is a bully and other may join in. If you remove the alpha bully for a few days then reintroduce her she usually looses her rank in the flock. If she continues then remove her for a little longer period before reintroducing her back into the flock. It usually works. Good luck...

 

[neo71665]

Your head bird as described is a bully and she is the lowest in the pecking order. What I do is take the bully and put in a dog kennel inside the run for a few weeks. Allow the other birds to still interact with her but she can't bully. When you turn her back loose she will have lost her spot and the other birds won't put up with her bulling.

Chicken glasses are another option if that don't work. It didn't with my GLW so she has had to wear a pair for the last few weeks.

 

[KilbournFarmhouse]

I got six chicks last May 1st and they got on wonderfully until a couple days ago. The friendliest lady June, an Isa Brown is being picked on by almost all the other birds. Most just give her a peck and she dashes off. However, a golden comet is grabbing and pulling out feathers. I’ve seen it several times. When I see her bullied I grab the bully and hold her down to the ground for 10 seconds or hold them upside down. However, it doesn’t seem to be stopping. Every time I go out there I see it. She is staying away from the others and she had some white feathers showing on her side. No blood yet but I’m concerned that soon there will be some bare skin. I don’t know what else to do, they have a big run, it’s about 14x12 for the six birds and I but a few items in there to break things up. She has been hoping up on the top of the feeder or on top of a two sided manger I put out there to get away from the others. The run is big enough that I could fence a small piece off and put her in with the bird not picking on her. However I’d have to build a second little coop and I really don’t want to. I also don’t know if this the right thing to do. Is this the natural order of things and will eventually calm down? Or should I go through all the work to separate for a few weeks? I have no idea what to do. Here is a picture, you can see the white patch where her feathers are missing. She is my fav bird of course, maybe they are jealous.

What ended up happening? I am dealing with this now in my small flock, but the bullied hen did get injured one day. I'm curious what you did and if anything changed.