Mean BO and skittish EE: Updated on 3/23 and 3/25

[Yay Chicks!]

So...big chicken drama here today.
I knew someone had been picking at the EE's (both of them) beards, but I never saw it happen. I assume it's been going on in the coop at night or early in the morning. Well, yesterday there was this business of them finding and eating a possible rotten egg that had apparently been hidden in the run. So, just in case it was a bad egg, I gave them yogurt. As you know, yogurt gets sprayed everywhere.
So, today, I catch the BO (Buffy) relentlessly picking at one of the EE's (Willow) beard. I hurry out there to find blood on the BO's beak. Not only that, I see all the neck feathers pulled out of the back of the BR's (Anita) neck. Yep, little dried bits of yogurt.
So, I pick up Anita, and slather some no pick stuff on the back of her neck. But, Willow is a bird that has not let me pick her up since they left the brooder. It doesn't matter how much I held her when she was little, or how many treats I offer her, or how slowly I move, she can out maneuver me.
Now the run is just not that big, but part of it is under the raised coop. So I'm down on my knees trying to catch her and it's just no go. I tried to lure her with BOSS, tuna and brussel sprout leaves. She still dodges me.
So now I'm really concerned. I hope maybe the treats distracted Buffy. But I'm about to run out there again and make sure she hasn't drawn blood again.
I know some advice will be keep trying to catch Willow, but I tried for 40 minutes. Arrgghh.
Anyway...anything I can do short of catching Willow? I really can't separate them for any time because the shed where I used to separate is torn apart and I can't bring one inside due to dogs.
Thanks for listening, anyway.

 

[KimberlyJ]

I have to give up sometimes too. Chasing is so stressful for me ....and the chickens. So if she isn't actively bleeding wait until dark to catch her. I find a headlamp works great. I go out at night and check on eveyone with the light on so they all get used to it. A flashlight works too, but takes a hand. Good luck. I just hate that they can't all get along

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Thanks. I plan to go out after dark and smear some stuff on Willow and Anita tonight. In the meantime, however, I keep going out to check on them. Totally slowing me down! It was quite grotesque to see the blood on Buffy's beak earlier. I guess next time I give them yogurt I will have to clean them up with a wash cloth...of course that would mean catching Willow...

 

[Yay Chicks!]

So, just an update on my BO's behavior. She is making a Turken out of my once beautiful BR now. So, it's not just the yogurt. They haven't had any since the first incident. She's picking out the beards of the EEs but she has really made a mess of my BR. I just got done slathering more no pick stuff on her poor neck, but the effect of that stuff wears off within hours. And they don't fight the BO, or even move out of her way.

Anyone else dealing with this issue? This is really new for her. Buffy's always been top chicken, but she was a nice top chicken.

Also, will those feathers on my poor BR's neck grow back soon, or will it have to wait until the next molt? (Poor homely thing...)

 

[loot4louie]

Maybe isolate the mean girl. A few days in a crate might calm her behavior? Then she would have to reintergrate with the flock. I hate when they peck each other! Good Luck!!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
I wish I had a crate! But that would be the best idea, most likely.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

So I dragged out the old stock tank brooder and readied it for some time out for Buffy. She's now in the tank, in a secure outbuilding with chicken wire over the top. I just got her in there this afternoon.
So, still a couple of questions:

1) Has anyone tried a two day time out for this type of behavior, and did it work?

and

2) My poor Turkenesque Barred Rock: Will her feathers grow back soon, or do we have to wait until after a molt?

Thanks.