Chickens pecking on 1 hen and hurting her

[Dixie1954]

We have had our flock for only a few months. They are just over 3 1/2 years old and have been together since they were chicks. There are 5 hens and a rooster. I don't know what happened but today the hens and the rooster are pecking one hen in particular. She used to be the dominant hen but they have pecked her so much that her crown is bleeding. When they start pecking on her she hides her head in a corner and lays down so the others can't get to her head. I really don't have any other place to put her except a small unprotected run with no shelter or a plastic dog crate. How should I handle this? What can I do so they don't seriously hurt her?

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I would put her in the plastic dog crate in the coop with the others so they can see her but not get at her. Clean and disinfect her wounds, give her her own food and water. Let her heal up. Might take a week or so. Then see if she can reintegrate.

 

[CMV]

If a hen goes from being dominant to being picked on, then there is likely something wrong with her health. I would give her a good thorough looking over.

 

[Dixie1954]

Thanks for the replies. I have her in a little run with a plastic dog kennel with plenty of straw on the bottom. At first I questioned if she was even gong to be ok because she acted like she was in a daze, sort of like she was in shock. She seems to be doing ok now though, but her crown has a couple of scabs where the other chickens drew blood. I am not even going to try to put her with the others until she heals because from what I have read, as long as she has the injuries she will just be attacked again. She is the tamest of them all too, quite a little pet actually.