It is a mild start to Dec. in PA and my 6 girls (2 Rhode Reds and 4 Barred Rocks) are 18 months old. I have never had one do a true molt just bunchs of feathers. Well this past week on of my girls( Rhode Island Red) started a huge molt. Then the others started the pecking. She can't even leave the coop when they are in the pen. She is sleeping in a nesting box to keep clear. When pasturing, she stays far away. I believe I have identified the two big bosses of the group. They have only pecked before to maintain dominance. I have one other (BR) who is head pecked but not to an intolerable level. She joins in with all of them. I am starting to give BBQ (my husband named her) her own food and water. She is eating and acting normal. Her comb is up. Does anyone have any ideas. I have no room to jail the other two birds. Will they stop when molting stops? and why is only one molting now!
I have had 9 hens at a time,and sometimes only one or 2 molt. I had peckers.They would get tossed into a dog crate.Did they stop once the molter regrew? No. I actually brought my molter inside when she had some major back wounds.I would bluekote bald areas.The pecking WAS less servere once the feathers were in. If you get rid of the pecked one will another be attacked? Will another take head hen position and be less cruel if the pecker is removed? I eneded up getting a roo to put the ladies in line.They still peck but not as much.
