Is my chicken sick or just being bullied?

[SurferchickinSB]

They tend to roost in the nesting boxes and around the boxes as they aware on a shelf. Thankfully they have done fine with roosting at night. Although today I watched as the hen pictured was in the nesting box and one hen came up and started to peck at her. She pecked back and they were fighting and then another hen came in and the hen pictured ended up running out into the run. I didn’t know what to do.

Well, chickens are going to peck at each other, that is just the nature of them.I think as long as no one is getting really hurt or injured you just have to let them figure it out

 

[NewChixFarm36]

Well, chickens are going to peck at each other, that is just the nature of them.I think as long as no one is getting really hurt or injured you just have to let them figure it out

Yeah - I understand that but I guess I was just looking at her comb and the scabbing (or bruising or whatever it is) and then watching her run around stressed out for the past 2 days just concerned me.

 

[NewChixFarm36]

Tha is for all your advice and help

 

[NewChixFarm36]

*Thanks

 

[Jan and the flock]

I’ve read the best thing to do is isolate the ones doing the bullying but it seems to be 2 of them for sure, but possibly 3. What do people do? I only have one coop.

isolate the top hen away from the flock for a few days. It will shuffle the deck in the flock. She won't be the top dog! When she is returned to the flock. At least not right away. The bullies will be busy jossleing for the top position and likely leave the lone hen alone. For a while. Also adding some places for the low hen to hide from her tormenters would help. Preferably places she can't be cornered in. Chickens tend to live by the Out of sight out of mind theory. Those brown patches on you hens comb are scabs. From the looks of her eye, and her color, she doesn't look sick to me. If she runs from any hen who approached her....she will always be on the bottom of the pecking order. Scattering the feed over a wide area will help to keep some of the bullying at bay. The top hens can't resource guard. and the lower hens can get food without being pushed around. Or chased off.

 

[aart]

That could be dried blood on comb or dry pox.
Bullying can be caused by crowding and/or diet.
Coop looks of decent size, but how many birds do you have?
Pics of inside, please?
Run looks a bit tight....and 'boring', need some 'stuff' in there for diversion and for lower status birds to get away from higher status birds.

Sleeping in the nests is not a good habit and could indicate other problems.
How old are birds?

Oh, and....Welcome to BYC! @NewChixFarm36
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[NewChixFarm36]

That could be dried blood on comb or dry pox.
Bullying can be caused by crowding and/or diet.
Coop looks of decent size, but how many birds do you have?
Pics of inside, please?
Run looks a bit tight....and 'boring', need some 'stuff' in there for diversion and for lower status birds to get away from higher status birds.

Sleeping in the nests is not a good habit and could indicate other problems.
How old are birds?

Oh, and....Welcome to BYC! @NewChixFarm36
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1732953

Thanks for your response and your welcoming! The black spots were what I was concerned about whether they were pox or scabs - but she seems to be healthy otherwise. And I haven’t seen any white or yellow spots either. Now some of the other birds are pecking her too, but I don’t know if that’s flick mentality!type of a thing.

We have 8 hens. They turned 1 year in March. What kinds of things do you put in to keep them entertained? I’ve heard of cabbage on a string.

I will add some pics of the inside of the coop. I think for now we’re going to keep the ones that are pecking inside the coop and then others in the run with separate food and water.

 

[NewChixFarm36]

Looks like they have enough space, maybe they are just trying to figure out their pecking order again. It looks like just bruises and not bleeding. I have eight hens and they are always trying to up themselves and change the pecking order. Mine do it when I let them out to free range or when they are getting up on the roosting poles in the evening. I just keep an eye on them and only intervene if I think someone is going to get really hurt. If they are doing it inside an area, sometimes you can just put up obstacles where they have to run around or a little corner wall where it can run behind. The main thing would be that the bullied one can get away, but if the space is too enclosed, it won’t be able to. You can also just put up temporary enclosures by buying those metal posts from Home Depot or any hardware store and a roll of chicken wire. It won’t be much good for keeping out predators, but it can keep the chickens apart so you don’t have to deal with that all the time. That way they can still be around each other but they just can’t get to each other.

Yeah when I saw her yesterday she was bleeding from the being pecked at. I think we may just keep the bullies inside the coop and the others outside for now for temporary until we get something else figured out.

 

[aart]

Hmm coop looks bigger from outside than inside.
Reason they are sleeping the nests is taht the nest are higher from what I think are the roosts(branches below nest?).

Food is not a good diversion, long term......
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Click pic for more pics:

 

[NewChixFarm36]

Hmm coop looks bigger from outside than inside.
Reason they are sleeping the nests is taht the nest are higher from what I think are the roosts(branches below nest?).

Food is not a good diversion, long term......
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Click pic for more pics:

Wow! That looks like an incredible run for the birds! Out of curiosity what is it that you have laid over the top of it? How many hens do you have?