Depressed chicken

[Heluerto]

I have inherited a chicken and had to put her in with my other four, one of which is actually a sister, not that she would know that! She is a really lovely hen and has already grown fond of me, but the other chickens are treating her so badly. She joined them over a week ago and still the hen pecking continues. When she is in the run, she buries her head into the corner with her htail in the air, and she is being pecked on her bum and trampled on by the other hens. When I let them out she wanders around the garden on her own, where as the other four pretty much do everything together. The 'sister' only joined the other three a couple of weeks ago, but she settled in really quick by comparison.

I feel like I have a depressed chicken and wish I could do something to help. Any suggestions?

 

[seminolewind]

I don't know. One of mine died because I didn't notice she wasn't "allowed" to eat. One I have now -the same thing, but I put her in with bantams and she's fine and eats up a storm, and no fighting.

I guess I might try leaving her with the most docile hen in the place they are in now and moving the other 3 to another pen for a few weeks, it might balance out the pecking order more

 

[Judy]

If you can identify one who is leading the attacks, then separate that one rather than the one being attacked. A week or so in chicken jail will adjust her attitude well because she will then be at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[Heluerto]

I'm making sure she eating, so happy that she ok with that. I'm also making sure she gets time out in the garden each day. If it doesn't improve in the next week I might see if she behaves with my little uns, I have two polish and two silkies in another coop, she seems to spend most of her free range time hovering around their coop, I just don't want her attacking them.

 

[easttxchick]

I'd do a couple of things.
If you can, watch them and when you see one of them picking on her, get a spray bottle(water only) and give the picker a spritz.
Also, I'd take each meanie out for a few days(rotating meanies) so that when each one gets put back, she is low man on the totem pole.
Like Seminole wind said, even if you have to stand by while your pecked on girl eats, run the others off every time they try to approach her while she's eating.
I hate it when the gang up on one poor hen.

 

[Heluerto]

Well this morning Tikka was hiding in the house when I got there to top up the water, when I returned the filled water container, she took a flying leap out of the house and landed on my knees (I was crouching) and cuddled up to me. She sat in my arms and wouldn't go back in. I took her for a walk up to my other coop where my little hens live (2 polish and 2 silkies), so I could top their water up, and she just stayed in my arm, not flapping or stuggling. In their coop she jumped down and started pecking the ground, and was joined by the two silkies, who lived with her before I got them all. So I decided to leave her in with them for the day, although was worried a little about the polish ladies. Anyway, I returned home tonight to find Tikka in the little coop with the little hens cuddled up in one of the nest boxes, with my two polish girls cuddled up with her. She seems so much happier in there, I have left her with them for now. She laid her egg in there, and I was pleasantly suprised to find a polish egg had been laid too, the first one since their arrival. Maybe this is the best solution all round. Just slightly concerned bout what to do when the Newbies hatch and need to go outside!

 

[Sassafras]

It seems like she is going to be friends with the Polish gals. She sounds like a real sweetie.

 

[easttxchick]

I'm glad she found some friends and is settling in.

 

[Gypsy07]

Tikka? LOL! Funny name. She sounds sweet. Glad you've got a solution to stop her being picked on.

 

[dandelionheart]

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