I am having a hard time with my hens being in the coop so much now that winter is here. They are not going out into the run very often now that we have snow (yes, I shovel the run). I have some bare bottoms, but my major concern is the 2 lowest in the pecking order. They are being picked at terribly. I have them seperated at the moment. I only have one crate so I have the one that was bleeding most recently (today, her comb) in there and the very bottom girl is in a cardboard box with a towel over it to keep her in, her injury is on her neck. Her neck is quite bare with a wound that has scabbed over. What do I do? Do I just keep them seperated for a while and then introduce them back into the flock later? I am thinking about putting them in a large crate that I just got tonight so that they will have each other. I will keep the crate in the coop. I don't have a ton of time in the morning to do a lot before leaving for work but need to figure out some sort of solution. Oh, they do have access to the run all day. I open the window up in the morning and close it back up at dusk. They have every opportunity to go outside they just choose not to. Unless I throw them out, then they stay out for a bit. I closed them out in the run for about an hour yesterday but it has been too cold to close them out for the day while I am gone. I know I will get some great suggestions here and thank you all.
I'd keep them separated until they heal. When you put them back, remove the 2 at the top of the pecking order. Things should settle down again within a few days, Then return the 2 dominant hens.
Ditto and move them around in the dark.....Actually the day before the move, I'd pen the top dogs so I could move the injured in quickly in the dark!
