Hens Ganging Up/Relentlessly Attacking Familiar Coopmate

[mksauce23]

I have a coop of 9 hens and 1 rooster who have been living together for over a year now. Recently, seemingly all the hens are tormenting one of my buffs. I’ve picked out a few instigators who will run her down, and then when she’s laying down in full submissiveness they jump on her and take turns pecking her and then rest of the flock will join in.

My roo doesn’t seem to be helping much, rather taking the “easy opportunity”, with my poor victimized hen as opposed to breaking up the madness.

They are exibiting this behavior both in the coop and when they are free ranging. I’ve tried separating her for a day or two and reintroducing her a couple times and it’s the same behavior.

She’s basically lost all of the feathers on the back of her head... so I’m not sure if this red orb is like a target for them? Another note is that we’ve been experiencing a bit of a heat wave in the past week or two, so could this be aggravating them?

I’ve red a few posts which attributed this behavior to the flock identifying an ill hen... but she has been eating and drinking fine while caged indoors, laying eggs, droppings seem normal enough... if anything she seems a bit stressed.

I’m not sure what else this could mean or what the next steps I should take are?

 

[ShannonR]

I agree, there is illness or something the rest of the flock doesn't like about the hen. I have no idea what or why, though.

 

[Acre4Me]

You may have success with removing the main instigator for several days. this will knock that hen off top spot and might alleviate the problem. Most likely one hen starts it.

Try Blu-Kote to cover the wound and the red color of the would. Often this helps to keep the hens from continuing to peck.

 

[so lucky]

I have seen recommendations to isolate the instigators for a day or two. If there are a couple main bullies that start it, you could isolate them. Lots of times that re-shuffles the pecking order, and the chickens who are isolated are taken down a peg or two.
My coop is elevated about 16 inches, so I can use that for chicken jail when I need to, blocking it off with some wire shelving units that my DH found while dumpster diving.

Of course, you will keep a careful eye on the buff, in case she is ill. If you have Blu-kote, it would help her heal and camouflage the reddened area from the other hens. Chickens really are unfathomable sometimes, aren't they?

 

[mksauce23]

UPDATE! I checked over my hen really good and found a nasty infected wound on her side, under her wing. 99% sure it’s from my roo’s spur.

 

[aart]

UPDATE! I checked over my hen really good and found a nasty infected wound on her side, under her wing. 99% sure it’s from my roo’s spur.

Or a toenail...but, yeah, mating injury.
Might want to take the points off his spurs and check your other birds for similar injury.
So now you can get her healed up then think about how to re-integrate.
Might be best to keep her crate in the coop/run so she can stay 'with' the flock.

 

[ShannonR]

UPDATE! I checked over my hen really good and found a nasty infected wound on her side, under her wing. 99% sure it’s from my roo’s spur.

That explains a lot!! I think the other birds must be able to smell it or something

 

[ChickNanny13]

Remove the "bullies" not the "victim" when doing time out. Glad you probably found the "problem". Separate her to treat, reintroduce her in a wire cage with food/water placed in the coop for a while. Or as @aart suggested, treat in protective housing in the coop. Hopefully they'll be ok after that.