help one chicken is bieng pecked so much she hides.

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Spanishchick

Spanishchick

Chirping
6 Years
Nov 29, 2013
218
8
78
GA
My Coop
My Coop
Hi ya'll,
I have a beautiful chicken who's bieng pecked to the point they don't let her eat, she hides under the coup or isolates herself when they're enclosed. The coop is big enough but they part free range all day and have more room than they really need. They sing and don't look bored. They also get free range to my compost.
Today I defended her and made the others let her eat. I put her in the yard for a while but that isn't going to work when winter is over and I have my gardens. Also my rooster who's younger and a different breed got really ****** off at me. He kept circling me as I let her eat from between my legs. She's such a sweetheart I gave the rooster a push to shape up. But he's not really the problem, he just hasn't learned who's boss yet.
I don't know what to do. The only chicken who doesn't bother her is the oldest. But everyone just moves out of her way, she's been laying for a while. Two of the agressives started laying today.....I'm so mixed with emotions. Help. Even my dog treated her well. He won't bother any chicken unless they run and she was even kissing him. (I don't fully trust him, I'm around or my husband is. ) otherwise they're corraled and no dog.
Well I think everyone gets the lifestyle summary :)
 
Hi and :welcome

It sounds like a pecking order thing, unfortunately someone has to end up right down the bottom. You could try having a few separate places for feeding, especially if your chickens free range - that's what we used to do when our younger hens got pecked. The aggressive ones couldn't keep watch over all the food piles at once.
I hope things get better for her somehow! Sounds like she enjoys hanging out with you though. :p

Enjoy the site :D
 
Thanks Fierlin, she likes me now....:D
We already have 3 feeding places and 1 inside for momma who sometimes roosts all day. We spoil her a little lol.
My husband who grew up on a cattle ranch wants to seperate the run. I don't like the idea. I was thinking of taking her away and fattening her up.
Btw husband is great at everything but can't slaughter a **** thing. I hunt lol. Just wanted to add some humor :D
Nothings perfect. Hehe
 
Oh and I was squating over the chicken who was between my legs. Now that I think about it that probably made my rooster think he had competition lol!
 
OK, that sounds good :lol: I don't know, fattening her up might just work - we have this one enormous chicken, who despite being old and quite frail at the moment seems to be right at the top of the pecking order, probably owing to her colossal size.

Haha, my folks tell stories of slaughtering chickens and pigs at home when they were growing up, but nobody has the heart to touch our chooks these days, because they're just like pets. :p
 
Thanks! I'll come back and let you all know if it worked. I only named mamma, mamma. I think I have to name her too, following north american indian tradition by character or an outstanding trait or life event. Squat!
 
Welcome. Are there places in your coop she can hide & eat? Maybe try separating her and the next lowest bird out for a few weeks except when they are free ranging. Usually it works better to separate the aggressive hens, but if they are all mean to her that won't work.
 
Maybe you could put blue kote where they have been pecking her and they won't like the taste. You could also put the mean hens in time out - some cage somewhere for a few days, when they are put back they should be lower on the pecking order. Would you consider making a house pet out of her? I think she would really flourish if you did. You could also get "pinless peepers," for the meanies - that may work.
 

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