Chicken with less feathers and smaller + being a bully

[kanokopuckbo]

Hello all,
We have three chickens, two of them look healthy and have all their feathers, the other has all her feathers missing on her belly, missing feathers on but, and a portion of her back looks like feathers has been broken off. She is also much smaller than the other two (which she shouldn't be) We are around the chickens enough and know that the other two chickens are not picking on her. Also, since she's had this issue, anytime we pick up another hen then set that hen back down the less feathery chicken will fly/hop on the chicken we just held and claw her and aggressively pluck feathers out of their back. Suggestions or reasoning for this problem?!? Thanks!

 

[Judy]

The hopping on top and grabbing feathers is an act of dominance. It's not unusual for one hen to act a bit like a cockerel when none are present, like this. She may not lay eggs, either. The others may be pulling feathers and eating them when you aren't looking. I'd also check for mites/lice, if you haven't. Feathers missing from the abdominal area is often something a hen does to herself, in preparation for sitting on eggs to hatch them (going broody.) Is she sleeping in a nest rather than on the roost? Also, it's not unusual for one hen to "object" in one way or another when another one gets human attention.

You could try separating your "bully" for a week or so, then put her back with the group to see what this does to the pecking order.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

 

[kanokopuckbo]

Thanks so much! We will definitely check!

 

[kanokopuckbo]