HELP! My 6 week old EE's were trying to kill my cross beak

[AnnetteinCA]

I am so shocked and very sad. I heard this noise outside and ran outside to find the 4 EE's were pecking on my cross beaked pullet. She's one of my favorites. She's always been the leader on the pecking order. In the last week or so, the rest of the pack started to ignore her. Her beak is really severe from what I can see in photos from other cross beaked chickens.

What should I do? I am so distraught. I don't want to cull because I am attached to her and feel she needs a fair chance at life. I've been feeding her chick food mixed with some water in a deep bowl. She seems to be doing fine with it so far. I've been crying since this happened today. What should I do? She is isolated in the coop right now. I was going to run some errands this afternoon, but I am glad I was home to save her. HOW CRUEL these chickens can be. It disgusts me terribly. I started to enjoy my new venture with chickens and right now I hate my chickens for pulling this cruel act on an innocent chicken with a disability. My cross beak's face is bloody and it looked like they tried to pick at her beak, too. Sorry for the vent, but I am pretty distraught right now.

What should I do?

 

[luvchicks8]

I feel for you I'm having simalar problem here I am ready to rehome my rooster who attacks people and the younger hens all of a sudden. He just started doing it he is an EE also.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Chickens are very cruel to the ones they perceive as weaklings. They can be so.... inhuman. I have a feeling this will continue if you try to reintroduce her. If she is really lucky, you may find a hen or rooster to befriend her and protect her.

 

[AnnetteinCA]

Well let me clarify something. I have five EE's that are 6w old. So, I am not sure who could befriend her. They were introduced to the coop outside only a couple of days ago, so this is when this started. I only have two options at this point. Keep her isolated and maintain her food intake, or cull her. This sucks. She does seem slightly weak right now. I don't know about crossed beak chicken and how long they live, or if they suffer a slow death or if some of them live long lives with few problems. I guess it depends how severe the beak is deformed. Yea, I thought chickens were gentle creatures.

 

[toyzbox]

I feel your pain. I have a cross beak EE myself. She has not been picked on yet (at least not more than anyone else). She can eat fine since I changed the feeder to something with a deeper bottom. I love her too and just couldn't cull her. She is 19 weeks old now and has not laid an egg yet. My worry is that when she does and her body starts to use up all her calcium, I won't be able to make sure she is getting enough and I will have consigned her to a slow death. It's tough. But if you are an animal lover (I can tell you are) it's a lot of work. Whatever happens you will have done your best