Major Shift in Pecking Order - Unsettling!!

[Orit]

Hello, I had to bring my Easter Egger in for a night and separate her from the flock (of 6) because she was looking lethargic and not running to get the worms I use to lure them back into the coop. She perked up the next day and rejoined the flock. Suddenly, the 2 almost lowest in the pecking order hens (who were from my newest batch) started challenging her and jumping on her and ripping out feathers. Now she is terrified of them. She used to be 2nd in the pecking order and very well respected. Now when she is in the coop/run, she won't come out of the nesting boxes. When free ranging, she is separate from the flock and runs for her life anytime the other 2 get near her. She looks so much skinnier (this has only been 2 days). She also roams the yard clucking, clucking, clucking (the same clucking sound a broody hen might make). Can anyone make sense of this? I know I have no control over pecking order, but this is heartbreaking! (she also happens to be my favorite ). Is there anything I can do to decrease her terror? Right now it doesn't seem like she is eating or drinking much (because of the others). Any thoughts or advice would be most appreciated!

 

[sourland]

Lower ranked birds are always looking for an opportunity to increase their position. I would remove the two trouble makers from the flock for several days, provide multiple feed and water stations and allow her to regain her position .

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Yep. Multiple feed stations and vacation away for the bullies. When they return they will be back at the bottom of the pecking order and might scale back their efforts. But if they have multiple feeders I find it decreases squabbles in general.

 

[Acre4Me]

Multiple feeders/waters for sure. Roosts in the run also help deter some of the worst of it. They will still sleep in the coop, but during the day having a place to hang out and not be a target is helpful.

Feed: what are you feeding? They might benefit from a little extra protein. Either changing feed to an 18-20% or supplementing for a little bit. supplement with cooked meat (unsalted), fish flake food, dried cat food (broken up or moistened). But with any of these supplements it is only a fairly small amount, and to see if they improve with extra protein.

putting the two others in another area for a few days - that may help.

good luck

 

[Orit]

Thank you, everyone!! Removing the 2 bullies at the same time will be challenging due to lack of space (I live in the city). I removed one and she is inside my house now in a cage (which is small). Two of them definitely wouldn't fit in there. Would it be OK to put them both in a big cage inside the run, or do they need to be completely out of sight? Also, sadly I do have multiple food stations and waterers, but my Easter Egger is so terrified that she won't get within 100 feet of the bullies . There are perches for her as well but I guess she feels the nesting boxes are the safest place. I will definitely check out the food situation! That sounds very doable. Out of desperation, I locked the bullies out of the run yesterday afternoon and kept her in with the others she gets along with. It took her about an hour to realize that the bullies couldn't get to her and only then, she frantically drank from the waterer for a awhile pausing every few seconds to check if she was safe. She was clearly thirsty/dehydrated. So, thoughts about keeping the bullies in a big cage in the small run (within view and close proximity), or removing one bully at a time? If it really does need to be both completely out of sight, I'll need to figure that out. Thanks again - SO helpful!!!

 

[NatJ]

...she frantically drank from the waterer for a awhile pausing every few seconds to check if she was safe. She was clearly thirsty/dehydrated...

You could take her out for a separate meal a few times each day. That will help with her getting enough food, even if it does nothing for the pecking order issues.

 

[Orit]

Yes - good idea! I work but can do that when I come home, and maybe a quick bite in the morning before work.

 

[NatJ]

Yes - good idea! I work but can do that when I come home, and maybe a quick bite in the morning before work.

You can also add water to some feed for her, so it's a wet mush.

Most chickens really like it, and I think they are able to eat it faster than dry food and separate water. Fast matters if you only have a few minutes.

Another thing you can do with wet mush is put a blob on the perch right next to the bird who is scared-- she can eat it up there, while you distract the rest with a dish of mush down on the ground. That lets you put it out and walk away, instead of standing around to monitor things, and at least it gets something instead of nothing into her.

 

[Krugerrand]

You can also add water to some feed for her, so it's a wet mush.

Most chickens really like it, and I think they are able to eat it faster than dry food and separate water. Fast matters if you only have a few minutes.

Another thing you can do with wet mush is put a blob on the perch right next to the bird who is scared-- she can eat it up there, while you distract the rest with a dish of mush down on the ground. That lets you put it out and walk away, instead of standing around to monitor things, and at least it gets something instead of nothing into her.

I was doing the warm wet mush food for my girls in the evenings on cold winter nights. they LOVED it! When I had a bird with cracked beak, I'd seperate her for a few minutes to feed her wet mush ... she liked that then too.

 

[NatJ]

Removing the 2 bullies at the same time will be challenging due to lack of space (I live in the city). I removed one and she is inside my house now in a cage (which is small). Two of them definitely wouldn't fit in there. Would it be OK to put them both in a big cage inside the run, or do they need to be completely out of sight? Also, sadly I do have multiple food stations and waterers, but my Easter Egger is so terrified that she won't get within 100 feet of the bullies

It might be better if you could have the bullies out of sight, at least at first, but caging them in the run should be better than leaving them loose in the run.

Out of desperation, I locked the bullies out of the run yesterday afternoon and kept her in with the others she gets along with. It took her about an hour to realize that the bullies couldn't get to her and only then, she frantically drank from the waterer for a awhile pausing every few seconds to check if she was safe. She was clearly thirsty/dehydrated.

If the bullies are caged inside the run, she will probably figure out that she can safely eat and drink, and they cannot get to her. Of course it may take her a few hours or longer to realize this, given how long it took her to realize they were locked out.

If she can move freely around the run while the bullies are locked up, that will probably be helpful overall. Both she and the bullies will get used to her moving around, within sight of the bullies but not attacked by them. At the moment, it sounds like she and the bullies think she should stay completely out of their sight.