So, one of my speckled sussex girls was attacked while in the nest box - blood and feathers everywhere. Looks like one or more of the other girls went for her comb and just beat the crud out of her. The attackee has since been removed to a large dog crate so we can treat her (clean her up, apply blue lotion and give PenG shots as her comb quickly became infected). My questions relate more to the behavior - what might have trigger this? What can I do to prevent this in the future? The girls are currently molting so I suspect they are stressed - could this have triggered the attack? I have bumped up their protein levels and am giving them plenty of treats. They have plenty of space - 24'x12' completely enclosed run for 12 chickens with numerous roosts; 4'x8' coop with 3 nest boxes and roosts - during the day, they have access to both the coop and the run. They also get free range time in a fenced area (40'x50') in the afternoons/evenings/weekends - usually 2-3 hours a day minimum. I thought this particular hen was higher up in the pecking order as she seems to be the leader at least for the speckled sussex girls. The other hens are light brahmas. Any thoughts on the best way to re-integrate her into the flock once we are done with the PenG shots?
