Chicken Ostracized Update

[JoCin]

Hi Everyone, I posted several weeks ago and its been about 2 months since my flock of 6 Cinnamon Queens (all the same age) began to ostracize one chicken. We have tried several behavior modification techniques, with little success. To update, the 5 have not drawn blood on #6. They will allow her to lay her egg in the coop and roost at night, but during the day she is ostracized from them and they guard the food and water. I have added additional waterers and make sure she is getting food and water. Does anyone have any experience as to whether this behavior will eventually subside? Thanks.

 

[DLA]

Have you checked her over and made sure there's nothing wrong with her? Sometimes when a whole flock ostracizes one chicken it's because that chicken isn't acting right or has a problem that may not be obvious to us as humans. Not saying that is the case but it's something to consider. You can also have personality conflicts within the pecking order and bullies and sometimes the bully will influence the others. If you've tried to resolve the behavior and it's still continuing you may want to just want to make a separate space for her where she can see them and they can see her but isn't being picked on or kept from food and water.

 

[Mrs. K]

Being raised together really has little influence on chicken behavior. How old are they, if they are just currently reached full size, it might be for this flock you are short on space.

You might consider pin less peepers, put them on everyone and see if this calms down. They have worked for a lot of people with small flocks.

Do you have clutter in your run? Post a picture of your set up. Often times we can see something then.

But sometimes a bird will not fit in a flock, no matter what you do, however will do fine in someone else’s set up.

Mrs k

 

[JoCin]

We have tried pinless peepers. Two rounds at 2 weeks each. They help with feather plucking, but they are still 'mean' to her with them on. Our entire set-up is 600 square feet of coop, run and outdoor pen. It's a pretty nice set-up that is predator-proof.