Hen badly pecked/ worried for her health

[bsandakly]

I have 4 hens, and one is being badly pecked on. I have seen her white feathers all over the coop. How do I help her survive being attacked by the others? Is there any way to stop the others from pecking at her? This cruelty we have seen before, and it has turned off my children to wanting to keep them. We had 6, and one of them was pecked so badly she was bleeding, and they would have killed her had we not quarantined her. I have heard of a pecking order, but are all chickens cruel to each other?

 

[tammye]

Could be the breed or stress. Do they room to move around and away from each other, esp. while in the coop. Coops next to much larger than alot of info says, esp. in you live in a cold climate where they will be inside during really cold days. Try to remove the bully for a few days, this will knock her down the pecking chain. Do it to several hens if necessary. Give them something to do while cooped up, like a bail of hay to kick around, throw soom feed in there to hunt for. Put half heads of cabbage, lettuce to peak at. Always separate a hen with blood on her. The others will kill her. Get a dog crate to use as a place to separate a hen quickly, so if you see trouble say a s you are leaving for work in the morning.