My Baby is being bullied and is scared to death!!! HELP!

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I have four Rhode Island red pullets about six or seven months old, a couple just starting to lay. Baby is my runt, being the smallest but sweetest of the four. She's VERY sweet, loves to be held, snuggled and loved on. I've babied her since she was a little fuzzball. Anyway, recently she has been being pecked on and bullied by two of her sisters to the point where she is terrified of them. They chase her and peck her away from the feeder, water or for no apparent reason. I know it's natural for chickens to have a pecking order, but this is cruelty. She's so scared of those two now, she wants out of the coop; I see her scrambling against the wire!! When I go in the coop, she runs up to me, stays around my legs and looks up at me, wanting to be picked up because she knows I will smack the bullies if they come near her. I can't watch her 24/7, but I don't want to come home from work, shopping or church someday and find my Baby pecked to death! What do I do? There is one pullet who doesn't do my Baby that way, so Baby isn't scared of her and get along fine. Should I separate the 'sweeties' from the 'bullies'? I was thinking of making a wire barrier, dividing the coop. The girls can still see each other, but my Baby can't be reached by the evil bullies. Should I do so? I don't know what else to do! My Baby is terrified of the two and runs away from them! She wants to be near me to be protected!! My poor Baby!

 

[slordaz]

well options are put the bullies in chicken jail for a few days, put a divider in the pen and coop, so they not get at each other, and each side have their own feed and water would be the best option, if you can't do that at least 2 feeding stations on opposite ends

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I have 2 feeders and 2 waterers. I can divide the coop somehow.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Thanks! The separation from the evil bullies will make my Baby happy!

 

[twendt]

separate the bullies, this will disrupt their pecking order, it's difficult but effective.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

The barrier should be wire, correct? So the chickens can see each other, but not reach each other. I hope this works, because if not, there will be two headless chickens. Nobody messes with my sweet Baby. You should've seen the way she stayed right beside me like a frightened puppy and looked up at me and at my hands wanting to be picked up and protected. It was very pitiful. I've never seen her so scared of her sisters!! I am glad there is one pullet(I call her Fussbuget because she has a deep, fussy voice, but she is not aggressive) who doesn't do her that way, they get along fine. Sweet Baby won't be alone during her seperation.