Chickens are picking on one chicken.

[Chicken Boy 101]

I’ve never dealt with this situation before so I don’t know how to proceed. @azygous any ideas?

OK I'll buy some chicken feather pecking spray and see if it works.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Maybe add some cover for her to make it harder for the other birds to pursue her.

Yeah, I've added some "Monsters" to the run. (They take forever to get used to anything...everything is a monster to them). A dust tubby, a couple of branches propped up on the fence to climb on...my plastic chair and a stump for an end table.

I know nature is nature...and that whole pecking order thing is part of it. But...sometimes as I'm sitting in there with them it gets on my nerves and I stand up and say to the bullies, "Alright, that's enough now...the "Big Chicken" has had it!" I'll take a pass around the run with purposeful steps and the bullies calm down. It's like having toddlers...

 

[azygous]

@KettermanHillCoop has a good point. Intervening in a bout of bully/victim interaction is definitely one way of addressing the issue. I keep a fly swatter handy and grab it when I see the bully gearing up for action. A swift tap on her butt grabs her attention, and often it associates her activity with something unpleasant, and it begins to discourage the behavior. Repeated often, it can have the effect of changing behavior.

Another thing you can try is pinless peepers on the main bullies. While bad tasting goop on feathers of the victims has little effect, pinless peepers interrupts the forward vision of the bully, giving the victim the big advantage.

 

[chickens really]

4 girls and 1 boy.
Don't fret on the coop as it is being replaced in the spring. I only just rescued these birds at the end of October. Built the coop before joining BYC. I realized immediately it is inadequate. The kennel run is 10'x10'x6'. The picking on the one chicken has been going on since they were "free ranging" in my workplace parking lot where they were dumped.

Spring is a ways away...What are they being fed?...Could be a lack in protein....Post a picture of these Birds please...

 

[chickens really]

To the OP.....Integration takes time and if she was never properly integrated she stands no chance.. Look no touch pen for as long as it takes..Single Birds are harder to introduce ..Pick a Hen that seams to like her and start as Day one keeping them in a separate look no touch pen..Look at the protein content of your feed too...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is common and actually to be expected. Chickens are animals that develop close bonds with flock mates and all their behavior revolves around that relationship. They view outsiders as a threat to the well being of the flock for various reasons. Among those are that outsiders will potentially compete for food and water and are possible disease vectors so they instinctively try to drive off interlopers.
When we add a single chicken to an established flock we have to make special efforts to integrate them after a lengthy quarantine shows them to be disease and parasite free.

Your best bet is to place the most aggressive bullies into quarantine quarters till the new chicken becomes friends with the remaining chickens. Then return the others one at a time every few days.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Spring is a ways away...What are they being fed?...Could be a lack in protein....Post a picture of these Birds please...

Yes...Spring is 3 months away. I'm doing my due diligence in regards to coop design this time around. Not to mention...I'm not building in the winter. My initial coop plans are in the hands of @aart for review right now.

Initially when I rescued the birds I was feeding them layer feed. Again, after joining BYC I learned that layer feed should only be fed to birds laying eggs. I also have a rooster. So, they are now being fed grower feed with separate feeder for oyster shells. They get cabbage, fresh parsley, oregano, sage and thyme, a flock block to peck on that contains cranberries, meal worms, seeds...and stuff as well as cracked corn, corn cobs and Boss as a treat sparingly.

They get probiotics in their water...and have a separate feeder for grit.

Plus...they get a taste of whatever I'm having for lunch, but it doesn't amount to much quantity. Burger, lettuce from a sub...pieces of the Italian roll...pizza...that sort of stuff.

Bashful, the one getting picked on, is standing aside of King, the rooster in the picture...the one to the far right is Fancy...the one that lives in her own little world... The other two are the bullies...Mocha in the front and Beauty in the back.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

@Chicken Boy 101 any improvement?

 

[Chicken Boy 101]

@Chicken Boy 101 any improvement?

Nope.

 

[junebuggena]

Yes...Spring is 3 months away. I'm doing my due diligence in regards to coop design this time around. Not to mention...I'm not building in the winter. My initial coop plans are in the hands of @aart for review right now.

Initially when I rescued the birds I was feeding them layer feed. Again, after joining BYC I learned that layer feed should only be fed to birds laying eggs. I also have a rooster. So, they are now being fed grower feed with separate feeder for oyster shells. They get cabbage, fresh parsley, oregano, sage and thyme, a flock block to peck on that contains cranberries, meal worms, seeds...and stuff as well as cracked corn, corn cobs and Boss as a treat sparingly.

They get probiotics in their water...and have a separate feeder for grit.

Plus...they get a taste of whatever I'm having for lunch, but it doesn't amount to much quantity. Burger, lettuce from a sub...pieces of the Italian roll...pizza...that sort of stuff.

Bashful, the one getting picked on, is standing aside of King, the rooster in the picture...the one to the far right is Fancy...the one that lives in her own little world... The other two are the bullies...Mocha in the front and Beauty in the back.View attachment 1208400

Looks like you have a flock of teenagers, between 4 to 6 months of age. That could be behind a lot of the behaviors you are seeing. Individual birds mature at different rates, and as pullets begin to mature, the pecking order changes. The more mature individuals tend to become more dominant, while the ones that still need time to develop are typically subordinate. This is a time of major fluctuation in the pecking order, and can change many times over until they are all fully matured. Once they are all matured, things will settle down. In the meantime keep treats to a minimum, no more than 10% of the total daily intake. And make sure the feed is at least 18% protein content.