Chickens Attacking Others

[TateLewis]

Hello!

I have 4 hens that have been together for over a year now but over the last few days in the morning I've noticed feathers all through the coop. Well it appears our one big gray hen is getting attacked by either one or all of the other hens. She's missing her feathers on her chest and her tail feathers. Anyone else have their hens just start doing that? I've noticed the hens before have gone towards her to show their dominance when they are coming out of the coop but it's never been anything as bad as pulling her feathers.

 

[venymae]

Are you sure she's not molting?? 'Tis the season!

 

[Chickassan]

That's what I'm thinking. Two of mine are in molt and are patchy every morning the coop floor is filled from those two.You may just have one that molts hard.

 

[keesmom]

Sounds like molting to me too. I have a bunch with patchy feather loss, and others that have exploded their feathers all over.

 

[TateLewis]

Do their attitudes change too? She's the only one doing this and she is hiding in the coop even when I let them out to free range. Our one hen is kind of a queen bee and keeps everyone else in line but I haven't heard much noise from them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes, often a hen who is molting will have a persecution complex. She'll run if any one even looks at her funny. IMO, it's b/c a hen in molt does not feel well, she's uncomfortable b/c of all those pin feathers, and she knows that she's vulnerable to attack, and any kind of attack is going to be very painful at this stage.

 

[Molpet]

I have 2 molting hard that will not come out of the coop,, the other 7 molting are more gradual and are normal

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Do their attitudes change too? She's the only one doing this and she is hiding in the coop even when I let them out to free range. Our one hen is kind of a queen bee and keeps everyone else in line but I haven't heard much noise from them.

Hens (and roosters too) who are molting are feverish and sore. It would not be unusual for a hen doing an annual molt to act different or to withdraw.

 

[TateLewis]

This makes me feel better! We have 4 hens and have had 2 of them for 3 years and have never seen any of them molting like this.