Hens being aggressive to one silkie

[Uruviel]

Hi folks!
I wanted to check in if I'm missing something before I order some peepers because I'm out of ideas.
Ive got 3 one year old hens.
Last year we got 5 chicks, all within a couple of days of each other to raise them together.
In the fall we rehomed the rooster since we aren't allowed them here.
In the beginning of the winter we lost our lead hen; she had a tumor that got pecked to infection.
A few weeks later our silkie got sick. I assume she was depressed about her friend because she was very bonded to the Americana we lost. She had to be separated from the remaining two birds for a few weeks because she was so dehydrated.
I integrated her back in with the two standards and thought everything was going fine. There was some pecking, mainly on her head feathers, but it was never crazy and all three hung out all day. We picked up two more chicks (another silkie and wyandotte).

Fast forward to good weather and the remaining Americana and wyandotte are ganging up on her. Attacked her to a gory mess... Thankfully she pulled through without infection and most of her feathers are finally growing back. I only kept her inside until her skin closed up thinking the shorter the better, but they immediately attack her, even at night in the coop. I had the chicks out for a field day and the Americana zoned right in on them.

I've tried slow introductions, just built a run adjacent to the coop for the babies and the older silkie to be around the others but they will stalk each other through the mesh all day. I've tried loud noises, and the hose.. the second one of them gets a chance they're after the silkie.

The coop is 4 feet by 3 feet, raised off the ground. Their winter run (as part of their coop) is 4 by 8. Up until I built this run they free ranged on our 20 acres.. from dusk till dawn. There's tons of bushes and forest and trees, all kids of places to hide or retreat. The attacks mainly happen outside in freedom at random. I've tried keeping the two standards locked up in "jail" inside the coop run for a full week. The second they get out they're ready to go after her.

I've added an extra feeder, they get all our kitchen scraps and heads of broccoli or cabbage or frozen fruits when the ground is bare to stop them from being bored.

tldr: standards lost flock mates and now attacking the weakest link. Thoughts on how to restore the pecking order?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I don't have anything clever to suggest to you. All I can say is that I ended up separating my Silkies from the standards due to excessive pecking by the standards.

Silkies are delicate birds. They have that tempting top knot to peck, which is dangerous due to their more fragile vaulted skull. They move slowly, waddling, rather than running. All in all they are a strange bird to the others....and so they peck.

I use my Silkies to brood chicks. I've had the chicks grow up...and peck mom.

So I had my hubby build a separate coop for my Silkies. They lived happy full lives in a small pen, often brooding there.

So sadly I don't have a way to restore the pecking order. It is one of the common problems between Silkies and standards.

There is some truth in birds of a feather flock together.

LofMc

 

[Uruviel]

Thanks so much for your response!
We knew it would be tricky when we first got them, but since they all got along so well for the longest time I thought we'd be able to live harmoniously

I don't necessarily mind if there's a bit of pecking, but the full on attacks just can't happen. So I'm glad I got a second silkie chick, hopefully they'll band together because she's been very lonely.

Otherwise we may have to give away the standards in the long run.

 

[Crazychickengirl2]

What'd you do?