Molting chicken being bullied

[PoolsideChickies]

Hello and Happy New Year!
I have a flock of 6 18mo old ISA brown hens in a backyard run that were raised together from chicks. In late November, one chicken started molting (first time, others have yet to molt) and started getting picked on badly. We also had frigid temps in our area and she was nearly featherless so I decided to separate her. Feathers are mostly grown in again but I have tried to reintegrate her twice and it’s not going well. The other hens pick on her. They have not caused any injuries or bleeding yet, but the bullied hen is refusing to leave the coop to eat or drink. Should I continue to separate her, or let them work out a new pecking order? Should I separate her with another more docile hen? Any suggestions for how to integrate this hen back to her flock without depriving her of food and water?

Thanks so much for any insights!

 

[3KillerBs]

Hello and Happy New Year!
I have a flock of 6 18mo old ISA brown hens in a backyard run that were raised together from chicks. In late November, one chicken started molting (first time, others have yet to molt) and started getting picked on badly. We also had frigid temps in our area and she was nearly featherless so I decided to separate her. Feathers are mostly grown in again but I have tried to reintegrate her twice and it’s not going well. The other hens pick on her. They have not caused any injuries or bleeding yet, but the bullied hen is refusing to leave the coop to eat or drink. Should I continue to separate her, or let them work out a new pecking order? Should I separate her with another more docile hen? Any suggestions for how to integrate this hen back to her flock without depriving her of food and water?

Thanks so much for any insights!

If you separated her out of sight of the flock they forgot her. You'll need to integrate her exactly as if she were a newly-purchased bird who had never been with them before.

Do the see-don't touch for at least a week and make sure that there are multiple feeders and waterers and that the run has plenty of clutter to break up the sight lines.

 

[PoolsideChickies]

Thanks for your reply! I tried to let her free range with the rest of the flock in the backyard on warmer days but I guess it wasn’t enough. I’ll separate an area of the run for her that allows the other hens to see her but not contact her. However, Im not sure how I’d separate them in a small coop overnight. Will it be ok for her to continue to spend the night in the garage (where she has been separated for the last few weeks) so she doesn’t get too cold, and then re-socialize her during the day?

 

[Mrs. K]

How big is your set up?

I would add a middle of the pack bird to her. There will be a dust up, but it is one on one. Let that settle for a week, then pull out two from the coop, put them where you have the pair in the garage, and add the first pair into the coop. Now it will be two on two, again a dust up, but even, not 5 against 1.

Hideouts, clutter and multiple feed bowls is good.

 

[PoolsideChickies]

I have the 6 hens in a coop for ~8birds (3 nest boxes) that is enclosed in an open access 6’x20’ run, 6’ high with multiple perches, 2 PVC tube-style feeders, and 2 heated water bowls. I let them out for a couple of hours most days to forage in the backyard. I’ll try dividing the run and adding some clutter, then pairing the bullied hen with another bird and I’ll put them both in the garage at night since it looks to be in single digits all week here. I’ll try swapping pairs of birds after about a week. Does that sound right? Thanks so much - I’m new to BYC and am grateful for the advice!

 

[aart]

I have the 6 hens in a coop for ~8birds

How big is that in feet by feet?
Most coop manufacturers grossly overestimate the number of birds.

 

[PoolsideChickies]

The coop is about 6’x8’.

 

[Mrs. K]

oh that should be big enough. Yes, that is what I do, and it has always worked for me.