Confused about hen-picked on and pale

[Triplehart]

Hi everyone. I have a two year old hen that is being picked on by all the other chickens in my flock. I have 11 other hens and one rooster. She squats down every time one of the others wants to pick on her and doesn’t defend her self. Her comb looks odd. It is a pale pink and her eyes look tired. She is eating fine. In fact we isolated her when we noticed what was going on and she ate and drank like she hadn’t in a long while. She doesn’t look like she has any other symptoms going on that I can say. She laid an egg yesterday. She seems content away from the others. Could it be that she was just getting dehydrated and wasn’t able to get food and that is why she looks so pale? Thank you to anyone that wants to help me.

 

[sourland]

It sounds as if the flock was keeping her from eating and drinking. It will very likely be difficult/impossible to reintroduce her to the flock.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Poor thing. My mother in law had a similar problem and was unable a reintroduce. The bullying got worse every time she tried. The hens we keeping her from eating and drinking also @sourland I think is right. Might not be possible. I’m sorry. Maybe someone will come by that has been a able to make it work

 

[Triplehart]

Thank you both. I’m hoping she can still be integrated.
All these ladies are named and great egg layers. Hoping for the best. Trying to introduce her back in while we are there with her and hopefully we can wean ourselves away.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I’m sorry your dealing with All this. I really do hope for the best for you guys. Why do hens gotta be so mean sometimes. You said all the chickens are picking on her? Or is it one or two bullies?

 

[Triplehart]

It’s more than one or two. I have a rooster and about three other hens that I noticed that go right over to her and start. I pick her up before any others are involved. So upset over this. Will keep trying.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Dang. Usually if it’s just one or two you can remove those for about a week and then the pecking order starts all over. It is really tough when it’s all of them

 

[Triplehart]

Ok. Now she seems like she isn’t acting right. When we try and let her out for a while, she eats a little grass and then nests down in grass and closes her eyes. She isn’t breathing funny, she’s eating, drinking water... but not actively. Her comb is still light pink, and she lays an egg every other day. She just isn’t “right”. Giving her probiotics in water.
Any ideas?

 

[Triplehart]

Dang. Usually if it’s just one or two you can remove those for about a week and then the pecking order starts all over. It is really tough when it’s all of them

It’s typically the rooster and two hens that I noticed that are picking on her right now.

 

[Birdsong 82]

In my opinion if you feel she’s not acting right I would bring her inside for the evening to keep an eye on how she’s acting. Possibly the other ones are bullying her because she’s weak From possibly being ill. If she’s not acting right and her comb is pale I would definitely want to keep an eye on her. Have you noticed her droppings? The poop can tell you a lot