Chicken Bullying Victim

[Georgeschicks]

Hello!
I have a a chicken bullying issue for a while now, and I was hoping that the pecking order would get sorted out so I left it alone for a while. My chicken is an 8 month old austrolorp (I think) and she is the smallest in her flock. She has a sister who she grew up with who is also 8 months old and an austrolorp but she I quite bigger and has not experienced bullying. The other four chickens in my flock are a year old and they are EEs a Delaware and a black copper maran. The Delaware is the biggest and she and the EEs continually peck and pull out the feathers of Maude (the victim). I have tried isolating the meanest bully and I am now isolating Maude after reading a featured article about isolating he victim. Maude’s sister is also in the pen with her as I have noticed a few missing feathers on her as well. How can I stop this behavior, and how can I help Maude’s “wounds” heal. There has not been any blood and she has been getting food and water, but her whole head is bald and her back had a few bald patches. I have pictures below. Please help!!
Thanks in advance.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Usually aggressive behaviors are seen when chickens don't have enough room to move and run and scratching which burns off excess energy. From what I can see your birds look tight? More room, or less birds unfortunately is always the answer. You have some very active breeds.

How big is their area? Coop size and run?

 

[Georgeschicks]

Usually aggressive behaviors are seen when chickens don't have enough room to move and run and scratching which burns off excess energy. From what I can see your birds look tight? More room, or less birds unfortunately is always the answer. You have some very active breeds.

How big is their area? Coop size and run?

The chickens in that picture are in a movable run that I use as a “jail” or to let them move around the yard. The regular run is 150 square feet and the coop is 20. Is that too small?

 

[rebrascora]

Space and/or boredom are usually the cause of such pecking. Have you watched to see if the majority of the bullying takes place in the tractor/moveable run or in the main pen. My guess would be the limited space in the tractor is causing the issue. Failing that, chickens can sense illness long before we can and will often try to run a sick chicken out of the flock to prevent spread of disease etc. Obviously being penned means that the bullied Australorp cannot get out of their way.
If you take her out of the flock, you will have more problems reintegrating her which is why it is best to remove the bully or bullies or give the bullied hen her own personal safe space within the run ie a cage or corner sectioned off with shelter and food and water of course.

 

[staceyj]

Are you finding the feathers on the ground? If not someone might be eating them.

Access to the food can also be a factor.
And the food itself.

Try switching to a feather fixer or all flock feed (with oyster shell available on the side) to increase their protein level.
And add a second feeder at the opposite end of your run.

 

[Georgeschicks]

I have found a few feathers on the ground. There is plenty of access to the food and they are all eating, how would this affect them picking on each other.

Are you finding the feathers on the ground? If not someone might be eating them.

Access to the food can also be a factor.
And the food itself.

Try switching to a feather fixer or all flock feed (with oyster shell available on the side) to increase their protein level.
And add a second feeder at the opposite end of your run.

have no

 

[staceyj]

Sometimes one hen will target another for reasons unseen to us and in a sneaky and mean way prevent them from having access to the food and water.
Having a second set allows a bullied one to get sustenance.

A diet too high in treats can dilute the total amount of protein a hen should be taking in in order to thrive and lay eggs.

Typically layer rations contain 16% protein but that is actually the minimum requirement.
So if a bird gets say 20% of their diet in treats that have no or very little protein, that protein percentage plummets.

Chickens get nasty when they don’t get enough protein.

Like us getting “”HANGRY”.

 

[Georgeschicks]

Space and/or boredom are usually the cause of such pecking. Have you watched to see if the majority of the bullying takes place in the tractor/moveable run or in the main pen. My guess would be the limited space in the tractor is causing the issue. Failing that, chickens can sense illness long before we can and will often try to run a sick chicken out of the flock to prevent spread of disease etc. Obviously being penned means that the bullied Australorp cannot get out of their way.
If you take her out of the flock, you will have more problems reintegrating her which is why it is best to remove the bully or bullies or give the bullied hen her own personal safe space within the run ie a cage or corner sectioned off with shelter and food and water of course.

Sometimes one hen will target another for reasons unseen to us and in a sneaky and mean way prevent them from having access to the food and water.
Having a second set allows a bullied one to get sustenance.

A diet too high in treats can dilute the total amount of protein a hen should be taking in in order to thrive and lay eggs.

Typically layer rations contain 16% protein but that is actually the minimum requirement.
So if a bird gets say 20% of their diet in treats that have no or very little protein, that protein percentage plummets.

Chickens get nasty when they don’t get enough protein.

Like us getting “”HANGRY”.

Should I get a new feed? If so what do you recommend? I need something I can get from amazon.

 

[Georgeschicks]

Space and/or boredom are usually the cause of such pecking. Have you watched to see if the majority of the bullying takes place in the tractor/moveable run or in the main pen. My guess would be the limited space in the tractor is causing the issue. Failing that, chickens can sense illness long before we can and will often try to run a sick chicken out of the flock to prevent spread of disease etc. Obviously being penned means that the bullied Australorp cannot get out of their way.
If you take her out of the flock, you will have more problems reintegrating her which is why it is best to remove the bully or bullies or give the bullied hen her own personal safe space within the run ie a cage or corner sectioned off with shelter and food and water of course.

I only put two chickens in the tractor at a time and never two that don’t get along well. The picking happens in the run.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The chickens in that picture are in a movable run that I use as a “jail” or to let them move around the yard. The regular run is 150 square feet and the coop is 20. Is that too small?

I think your chickens are telling you it's a bit tight. Is it just a straight run? Putting stuff in it so birds can get up on, under or behind can give birds places to get away and hide. I've seen things as simple as pallets leaned against the wall, or a short wall to block line of sight.

Do you routinely take just a few out to go in the tractor? That could be causing problems as top birds will sometimes punish a returning lower member. So maybe take all or just the top birds out and leave the meek behind.

I always recommend a higher protein ration to avoid deficiencies. I wouldn't go higher than 18% if your birds aren't getting a lot of exercise as sometimes too much protein can be a problem too, so I like an 18%ration.