We are new to chickens and have 10 girls, aged 5 weeks to almost 3 months. All of our chicks were purchased as 1-day old chicks from the local feed store. As far as I can tell, we do not have a rooster.
We have a Speckled Sussex, a Cuckoo Maran, 3 Wyandotte's, 2 Russian Orloffs, a Buckeye, an Australorp, and an Ameraucana. We live on an acre and have 4 Airedales, who are not permitted in the orchard where we built our pen. As the girls have gotten older I have been moving them outside (in groups of 3 or 4) into their coop and pen. They now have plenty of room and since the weather has warmed up, they are pretty happy with their new home.
However, we do have a serious problem. Our Speckled Sussex, Violet, is the oldest and was the self-appointed head of the group, but her "welcome" to younger chicks was less than welcoming. After she nearly scalped the Cuckoo Maran, I took Violet out of the coop for a couple of hours. When I put her back, it was obvious that the Golden Wyandotte had taken over command duties. Violet went into the corner and over a couple of days I noticed she was isolating herself from everyone else. When I went to pick her up, it was clear she had lost a lot of weight.
I put Violet in our lawn wagon, which has mesh sides and is about 2' x 5', and placed the wagon next to the coop so that Violet can see and hear the other chicks and they can see and hear her. She has her own food and water and aspen shavings for a bed. I can sit on a bale of straw next to the wagon and rub Violet's head and talk to her, and as long as I am there, she eats and drinks. She perks up noticeably when I am near her. She also pays attention to the noises and activities of the other chicks.
It is obvious that Violet had been depressed and simply quit eating. If I had not removed her from the group and begun to feed her and care for her, she would have died several days ago. She is slowly getting her strength back, but is not walking around yet. She scoots around the wagon. Her toes are curled, but I straighten them every time I go out to see her--at least 4 or more times a day--and make her balance on her legs while she eats and drinks. I hope to put her back with the group when she is stronger but am worried about integrating her back into the group.
I know chickens are very social and I also know that Violet seems to have lost her sense of self when I took her from the coop. I blame myself for causing all her grief, but my question is, what do I do now? I was even thinking about getting a couple of chicks to place in the wagon with her, so that she wouldn't be alone and she would bond with them, but truthfully, my husband thinks 10 is plenty.
Any advice/
We have a Speckled Sussex, a Cuckoo Maran, 3 Wyandotte's, 2 Russian Orloffs, a Buckeye, an Australorp, and an Ameraucana. We live on an acre and have 4 Airedales, who are not permitted in the orchard where we built our pen. As the girls have gotten older I have been moving them outside (in groups of 3 or 4) into their coop and pen. They now have plenty of room and since the weather has warmed up, they are pretty happy with their new home.
However, we do have a serious problem. Our Speckled Sussex, Violet, is the oldest and was the self-appointed head of the group, but her "welcome" to younger chicks was less than welcoming. After she nearly scalped the Cuckoo Maran, I took Violet out of the coop for a couple of hours. When I put her back, it was obvious that the Golden Wyandotte had taken over command duties. Violet went into the corner and over a couple of days I noticed she was isolating herself from everyone else. When I went to pick her up, it was clear she had lost a lot of weight.
I put Violet in our lawn wagon, which has mesh sides and is about 2' x 5', and placed the wagon next to the coop so that Violet can see and hear the other chicks and they can see and hear her. She has her own food and water and aspen shavings for a bed. I can sit on a bale of straw next to the wagon and rub Violet's head and talk to her, and as long as I am there, she eats and drinks. She perks up noticeably when I am near her. She also pays attention to the noises and activities of the other chicks.
It is obvious that Violet had been depressed and simply quit eating. If I had not removed her from the group and begun to feed her and care for her, she would have died several days ago. She is slowly getting her strength back, but is not walking around yet. She scoots around the wagon. Her toes are curled, but I straighten them every time I go out to see her--at least 4 or more times a day--and make her balance on her legs while she eats and drinks. I hope to put her back with the group when she is stronger but am worried about integrating her back into the group.
I know chickens are very social and I also know that Violet seems to have lost her sense of self when I took her from the coop. I blame myself for causing all her grief, but my question is, what do I do now? I was even thinking about getting a couple of chicks to place in the wagon with her, so that she wouldn't be alone and she would bond with them, but truthfully, my husband thinks 10 is plenty.
Any advice/
