Flock Attacking Hen

[lwheatrn]

I have a 1.5 year old Rhode Island Red hen who is being bullied by the entire flock. Everyone is the same age and was raised together. The hen has a limp from a fall when she was younger. It’s never been an issue and she has always fit right in until recently. Other advisors have said to remove the bully but it seems as if it’s the majority of the flock. The flock free ranges during the day and has quite a large coop and run. The hen has distanced herself and is staying either in the coop or under the steps in the run. This morning when I went to let everyone out, I heard her scream and realized she was being chased and the other hens had pecked her head until it was featherless and bleeding. She is now separated. I’m not sure how to proceed. Do I keep her separate indefinitely or try to reintroduce her to the flock after she heals? We have 18 hens and 1 rooster and everyone was raised together so new members. Thanks!

 

[corgimomleylifaller]

just keep trying to remove the one or ones that are bullying that chicken from the rest of the flock it is called the pecking order yes I would say try reintroducing her to the flock slowly a few at a time until they are not as mean to her as they were before and if they were pecking her head until it was bleeding then next time they do that they are most likely to end up killing her and so next time you see it happening I would have her taken to the vet to see what they can do about it and I would also separate rooster from rest of flock and when the chickens do that to a chicken like if they see that one chicken is bleeding they will peck until that chicken that is bleeding is dead so yes I would keep her separated with separate food and water a little bit longer after she is healed because it sounds like maybe she is trying to be by herself somewhere where she can heal some on her own before you try reintroducing her slowly a few at a time even though they were raised at the same time and are the same age they can sometimes act a little strange to each other if they are getting kind of fed up with each other so they could be getting fed up with her if they are acting that way towards her and her only

 

[WingItRanch]

@azygous wrote a great article I recommend you read: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/