Chicken's feathers picked off, what to do?

[riverswan]

Today after I cleaned the chicken coop I didn't see Pipkin my silkie hen anywhere in the pen but noticed a few hens hanging round behind the house. I went to look and there Pipkin was cowering with the hens picking at her. I checked her over well and the feathers on her right leg and foot are mostly picked off. There was some blood on the foot from where the feathers were pulled, but the skin on her leg isn't torn. I have brought her into the house as we don't have another coop. Any suggestions how to treat this and if and when she should be put back with the flock? Our weather is starting to get colder now, -21C (-6F) by Friday, would it be safe to have her loose in the pen during the day with the feathers off her leg?

 

[junebuggena]

Sometimes, Silkies just get picked on because they are so gentle and look different. For their own safety, many people have found that they need to house their Silkies separately from other breeds.