We had a fox jump our five foot fence a couple of weeks ago. One chicken was injured, couldn't get up for a couple of days and we nursed her first in the house, then she was able to go back to sleep in the hen house on the floor and one night she was back up on the roost with the others. She started the next day walking around with the other remaining two and all seemed fine. I thought we had made it!
But the very next day the two healthy ones started attacking the recovering one. She now is petrified of them, runs away, they come after her attacking in unison and she does not fight back. She won't go into the hen house, and we have been back to letting her stay in the house overnight. Not a sustainable solution...
My question is: Are they just trying to re-establish the hierarchy or are they going in for the kill? It's not pretty watching them peck on her if they manage to get her cornered.
But the very next day the two healthy ones started attacking the recovering one. She now is petrified of them, runs away, they come after her attacking in unison and she does not fight back. She won't go into the hen house, and we have been back to letting her stay in the house overnight. Not a sustainable solution...
My question is: Are they just trying to re-establish the hierarchy or are they going in for the kill? It's not pretty watching them peck on her if they manage to get her cornered.