Help needed

[9000ftchick]

Ok had a small flock of 4 hens and they got on well but over this past year we lost 3 of them
The 1 left seemed to be getting loanly and we had a flock of 6 donated to us .

Problem is our old hen is getting beat up by one hen and I have tried to separate for 4 days and she still pecking her.
When I keep the mean one out our old girl keeps to her self but the flock seems to except her with a bit of pecking from the dominant ones but no holding down and pecking her head till she is bleeding
What's best to do
Thanks Chris

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Is she pecking to the point of drawing blood? How many feed and water stations do you have available?

 

[9000ftchick]

Only have 1 watering station right now and they free range in a 200sqft run
The coop is kinda small right now but working on that to in large it next weekend
So as for feed station we just just throw out so they can scratch and feed
Also yes this one has held our old girl down and made her bleed in the head

 

[bobbi-j]

Personally, I'd give some serious thought to getting rid of the mean one. Cook her low and slow, and she'll make some pretty good soup! If you can't do that, keep her separated for longer than 4 days. Try a week or two. If that doesn't help, I have no idea.

 

[aart]

Personally, I'd give some serious thought to getting rid of the mean one. Cook her low and slow, and she'll make some pretty good soup! If you can't do that, keep her separated for longer than 4 days. Try a week or two. If that doesn't help, I have no idea.

Ditto Dat^^^^

 

[enola]

Pinless peepers will help. Peepers will limit what she can see allowing the underdog hen to move away from the bully. She will stil be able to see to eat and drink.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I agree with bobbie-j, you may want to seriously think about getting rid of your bully. A little dominance pecking is normal, but her behavior sounds quite excessive (especially if you consider the fact that she is a new bird, in a new place).

If you can't part with her, separate her again, for a week, or longer, this time. And put her in a place where she can't see the other chickens. She needs to be completely removed from her flock, which will drop her down a few pegs in the pecking order.

And, are you saying all you do is toss some feed out onto the ground for them to peck through (which I interpreted as, you have no feeder that's got food in it at all times)? If that's the case, how much feed are you tossing? It may not be enough, which could be the root of this hens awful behavior. More space NEVER hurts, the more you can provide, the better. And, maybe think about setting up some pallets and make shift roosts in you run. That will give your bullied chicken places to hide under/on and lessen the chances of the mean hen getting at her.

Honestly, if I had brought this bird home and she acted like this, she'd be soup (so maybe she's lucky she's misbehaving at your house).

Good luck.

 

[9000ftchick]

Thanks for the help guy
Well Mother Nature helped out a little one of the new girls trying to become to top hen got taken out by a hawk
So with all the other girls a little shaken up I left them for a few days then reintroduce the mean one
They have all settled down now
I have now got a big feeding station for then and a big water saltation and now I'm starting to see a few eggs being laid
Thanks again chris