Help! My chickens are bullying another to death!!

[4MyBirdiegirls]

Hi its me again.
As I said a couple months ago, my hen, Penny is getting pick on way to much. its becoming a big problem and I'm afraid their going to kill her.
Two of my chickens "mount" on her basically every day. She gets pushed out of the way for food, water, and any snacks I might bring to them.
Also, one of my chickens, Lavender is also plucking out her feathers. She already has a feather growing disorder so as you can imagine its espicially bad that It's her there pecking on. We have the Pinless Peepers but I dont like the idea of it going in their nostrils. Is there anything else I can do to help her?

 

[PoultryCQ]

Hi its me again.
As I said a couple months ago, my hen, Penny is getting pick on way to much. its becoming a big problem and I'm afraid their going to kill her.
Two of my chickens "mount" on her basically every day. She gets pushed out of the way for food, water, and any snacks I might bring to them.
Also, one of my chickens, Lavender is also plucking out her feathers. She already has a feather growing disorder so as you can imagine its espicially bad that It's her there pecking on. We have the Pinless Peepers but I dont like the idea of it going in their nostrils. Is there anything else I can do to help her?

Growing disorder?? Never heard of that.

What do you feed?
Pictures of your birds?
How did you integrate her? Did she grow up with the others?
Did you recently add any new birds?

 

[PoultryCQ]

Hi its me again.
As I said a couple months ago, my hen, Penny is getting pick on way to much. its becoming a big problem and I'm afraid their going to kill her.
Two of my chickens "mount" on her basically every day. She gets pushed out of the way for food, water, and any snacks I might bring to them.
Also, one of my chickens, Lavender is also plucking out her feathers. She already has a feather growing disorder so as you can imagine its espicially bad that It's her there pecking on. We have the Pinless Peepers but I dont like the idea of it going in their nostrils. Is there anything else I can do to help her?

Okay, I just read your other threads. Sounds like feather eating to me....did you check for mites or lice (that may not be the root of the issue, but may be one of them)?

 

[nuthatched]

How big of an area for how many chickens and what do you feed them.

 

[aart]

In your other threads no one asked how old these birds were and if they'd all lived together since chickhood.

How big of an area for how many chickens and what do you feed them.

Yes!
How big is coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would be most helpful here.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[Swbertrand1]

Sounds like Penny needs to be removed from the fray ASAP to protect her!

 

[PoultryCQ]

Oh and also, what breed is she? Silkies will definitely not be treated the same as a wyandotte, so thats an important factor here.

 

[Eggcessive]

The main causes of feather picking abd bully are:
Too little room, boredom from not getting out of the run to free range, not enough protein in a balanced diet or a good chicken feed having 16-20% protein, and some breeds being more aggressive than others, ie—wyandottes. I have rehomed certain breeds because they did not fit in with my calm and easy going chickens. I have also had to separate a hen who had balance issues, and became the target of all of the hens. Spend some time with them. Separate a bully. If one chicken is being targeted, find out if something is wrong with her, and separate her in a wire dog crate with food and water if necessary, but keep her with the flock.

 

[4MyBirdiegirls]

Growing disorder?? Never heard of that.

What do you feed?
Pictures of your birds?
How did you integrate her? Did she grow up with the others?
Did you recently add any new birds?

Yes her feathers took an extra long time to grow. We talked to Meyer Hatchery and they said that she probably had a feather growing disorder. She is a Black Austrolorp. We have 7 chickens. Two black austrolorps, one New Hampshire Red, one Lavender Orpington, one Buff Orpington, and two Barred Rocks. Their run is 8 by 16 ft. We feed them Purina Organic Layer Crumbles. When it's nice out, We let them free range but she still gets picked on outside. The fenced area we keep them in outside is like a 20ft circle.

 

[4MyBirdiegirls]

I also haven't added any addition chickens to our flock. They all grew up together.