Henpecked

[Anne4596]

I have one small Easter Egger hen in my mixed flock. I don't have any other bearded hens in my flock. She is the lowest in the pecking order and she is picked on really, really bad. She isn't even seen as part of the flock. Would getting some more Easter Eggers help her?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have one small Easter Egger hen in my mixed flock. I don't have any other bearded hens in my flock. She is the lowest in the pecking order and she is picked on really, really bad. She isn't even seen as part of the flock. Would getting some more Easter Eggers help her?

No but removing her from the Flock would be nice so she don't get picked on "really bad".

 

[Anne4596]

No but removing her from the Flock would be nice so she don't get picked on "really bad".

Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to do that. Is there anything else that I could do?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to do that. Is there anything else that I could do?

Resources or no, this is going to be necessary if the picking is truly bad -- whether it means rehoming her or rethinking how you have your setup to allow for it. Picking can become deadly if it escalates. You may be overthinking the separation issue which makes it seem you can't accomplish it. Is she being picked to the point of bleeding or is it that normal chicken pecking order behavior is going on but seems excessive to you from the human perspective? Is it just that she seems isolated and you feel badly for that or is she suffering actual harm, being denied access to the feed/water resources, etc?

Adding birds is unlikely to help - especially if your resources are already short.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There's always a bottom bird no matter how many you add. Some more information and maybe pictures of your setup can help people give suggestions on what you can change, or how to proceed. It can help to have enough space for birds to get away from each other, and places for birds like her to hide from the bigger birds.

 

[Anne4596]

There's always a bottom bird no matter how many you add. Some more information and maybe pictures of your setup can help people give suggestions on what you can change, or how to proceed. It can help to have enough space for birds to get away from each other, and places for birds like her to hide from the bigger birds.

My flock lives out in an 8 by 20 foot run. Currently, I am introducing some 10 week old young chickens. I just reintroduced my Easter Egger to the flock, and I realize that could be what is going on, but they have always picked on her. She is not severely injured, just starting to lose some feathers and have some scabs. I want to intervene early before the problem gets too serious.

 

[lazy gardener]

How many birds do you have? You say they live in an 8 x 20 run. do they have a coop? do they have any shelter? How many chicks are you introducing, how many adults?

 

[Anne4596]

How many birds do you have?  You say they live in an 8 x 20 run.  do they have a coop?  do they have any shelter?  How many chicks are you introducing, how many adults?  

I have 6 adults. I have 4 youngsters, two of which are cockerels. I have a shelter for them, a coop on stilts. The young ones are in a puppy pen with a plastic bin shelter for now, to keep them separated from the others.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like the coop is on the small size. When is she being pecked at, inside the coop or in the run? Where do they eat and drink? Are there multiple places for them to feed at?

From my observations of my flock dominant members seems to like a distance of 5-10 between them and the lower members or else they get pecked for it. If your coop is small things will get worse with more members.

 

[Anne4596]

She is being pecked at I.

...

Sounds like the coop is on the small size. When is she being pecked at, inside the coop or in the run? Where do they eat and drink? Are there multiple places for them to feed at?

From my observations of my flock dominant members seems to like a distance of 5-10 between them and the lower members or else they get pecked for it. If your coop is small things will get worse with more members.[/quote

She is being pecked in the run. There is one main feeder and one smaller feeder that they are still learning to eat out of. There is one waterer.