Everybody gangs up on one chicken

[melearningasigo]

We have 6 one year old chickens. They have plenty of space. One of them we took in when she was 12 weeks old last year, but they are all the same age.

Anyway, they have all decided to gang up on that one this summer. We have separated her the past couple week, but her run is next to theirs, so they still see each other. We have tried to reintroduce her several times, but it only takes a few minutes and they gang up on her again.

I think she is also molting, so her head and neck feathers are sparce. She hasn't laid an egg in over a week now. She has had something funky with her legs for a long time now. But she seems happy, eats, comb and waddle are red.

Any tips? Come winter we won't have the capability to keep her separated anymore.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Do you have a rooster? If so, you could try placing him with her for a week, and then reintroduce both of them back into the main flock.

 

[aart]

Try adding one of the 'nicer' birds in with her, keep trying until you find one that works.
Then after they get along for a few days, add another.
Trying to form a group taht can be merged.
What does your setup look like....pics would help a great deal here for suggestions.

She has had something funky with her legs for a long time now.

Describe this more fully, please.
If she is lame then that may be why they are picking on her.

 

[melearningasigo]

Do you have a rooster? If so, you could try placing him with her for a week, and then reintroduce both of them back into the main flock.

We can't have roosters where we live.

This we could try. We kind of tried this with one we thought was nice, but turned out not so much. We can try again with another.

Try adding one of the 'nicer' birds in with her, keep trying until you find one that works.
Then after they get along for a few days, add another.
Trying to form a group taht can be merged.
What does your setup look like....pics would help a great deal here for suggestions.

Describe this more fully, please.
If she is lame then that may be why they are picking on her.

Her legs almost look as if she had mites, but we can't find any or evidence of mites, not do any others have any symptoms. Her leg scales are white-ish and flaky. The bottom of her feet are very pink. She is a black jersey giant.

So please don't judge our set up it is a little jimmy-rigged. The kid's slide is in there to give her cover. We put the kennel with her in it in the main box at night. My husband added the extra run space this spring. It is only a seasonal run as we wrap the other one in the winter and keep them in there. We can't let then totally free range anymore because we adopted a boxer and she thinks they are toys.

 

[aart]

Her feet don't look too bad to me.
Did you treat for scaly leg mites?
Does she limp?

Jimmyrigged run is fine, as long as she, and her new friend(s) has weather and predator proof shelter.

 

[melearningasigo]

Her feet don't look too bad to me.
Did you treat for scaly leg mites?
Does she limp?

Jimmyrigged run is fine, as long as she, and her new friend(s) has weather and predator proof shelter.

She walks fine. She does hold a leg up sometimes though. The original run is all of those proof, but the addition was only meant for extra space, not to be used solely. That's why this temporary fix can't last.

 

[aart]

She walks fine. She does hold a leg up sometimes though. The original run is all of those proof, but the addition was only meant for extra space, not to be used solely. That's why this temporary fix can't last.

Most chickens will do that.
It may take a few weeks to get all the birds together..so safe shelter is important.

 

[Chickassan]

If they started picking on her and now she's molting then that is probably the problem.
Molting always makes the flock dynamic funky.

 

[sorce]

Tell Jimmy to hook me up!

That's pretty fresh!

I wonder if you can't "play rooster", or be out there to intervene for however long it takes.

Sorce

 

[melearningasigo]

Well, we slipped her in the box at bedtime the other night and they have lived happily ever after since! Whew! So glad