Major Shift in Pecking Order - Unsettling!!

[Orit]

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.


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.

Thank you! This is great advice and very doable!!! I put out the word and think I may have located a very large dog crate, which I can then put inside the house and house both bullies there. I'm praying this works because it is breaking my heart to see my Easter egg in such terrible shape. Thanks again!

 

[Orit]

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

Thanks so much!!!

 

[Orit]

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.

Yes - I think this will be very important! can't believe how skinny she suddenly got I do work full time but even a quick meal early morning and late afternoon would be better than nothing.

 

[Orit]

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.

Thanks for this idea!

 

[Orit]

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.

I'm totally trying that!!