My Easter Egger Pullet is getting beat up really bad, and I could use some help.

[Cluckcluck1215]

Now before I say anything, Please, Don't post saying that I should just leave them alone and let it work out.If you don't have anything nice to say, DON'T say it at all.

Last year(June 10nth, 2016)I got six chicks.Three Easter Eggers, a Silver Wyandotte, and Golden Comet and a Leghorn.Im down to Four.

One of my Easter Egger's, Indigo is getting pretty beat up and it's starting to scare me.It all started in December when it was snowing Hens, Roosters Pullet and cockerels out.Four feet of snow, They ripped her hole muff off.STOP.I have plenty of space, my coop is designed for 13+ chickens.They pretty much ignored her, but since last month, Harriet, My Leghorn and Raven my Silver Wyandotte, Starting attacking her for no reason.They won't let her eat, They attack her in the Nestbox, And they won't let her roost next to them.She has a patch of Feathers ripped out of her shoulder, and she is very, very skittish.I also have noticed, Now she has never done this before, she makes soft chirp sounds when I, One of the other chickens or anyone else goes near her.

How can I help here?I can't just stand by watching them attack her!

TIA!

 

[BY Bob]

Can you separate them for a while?

 

[Suzi18]

I would separate them immediately! Take out the 2 bullies, maybe put them in a large dog crate or kennel. Leave them there for a day or 2, away from the flock (with food and water of course) and then try re-introducing them. It might knock them down a peg and if that doesn't work i would try to find a different home for Indigo or the bullies. Either way she needs time away from them so that her wounds can heal

 

[Pork Pie]

I would consider removing her from the flock either temporarily (to see if the aggressors turn their attention to another bird) or permanently.

Just my humble opinion, but you may be more likely to get advice from a wider group of members if your style of asking for help was slightly less adversarial.

 

[CP Chicken]

Hello Cluck! I'm thinking that you'll have to separate her from those bully chickens. You may have to put her and at least two other chickens (that don't bully her) in a different coop. I must admit that that is the only solution that I can think of. I also used to have some chickens that would get attacked by the others and so we kept them in a separate coop and fence, which helped a lot.
Sorry if my advice doesn't help. Good luck!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

How many sq. ft is your coop? Designed for 13? If its a pre fab that means maybe 4.... If space is not the issue I have read that removing the bullys for a few days/week will put them in the position of being new to the pecking order.... good luck.

Gary

 

[TalkALittle]

What are the dimensions of your coop? It may be "designed" for a certain number of hypothetical birds, but if you are having problems it might not be big enough for your particular birds and their particular personalities and social needs.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

To [@]Suzi18[/@]:I can separate my biggest bully, Raven.She is the one who attacks her mostly.I CANNOT get rid of any of them, they are my pets, And I will NEVER re home any of them.

To [@]CP Chicken[/@]:Hi CP!You see, I have two "groups" of chickens.The big girls and the little girls.The only one I would be able to put with her would be Cinder :/

To [@]IdyllwildAcres[/@]:My coop is NOT Pre-Fab.It is a DIY coop, My grandfather built it.Im not sure what the dementions are, but at one point I had 11 chickens and two ducks in it, and they wereperfectly FINE.

 

[MollySunshine]

CluckCluck, I hear your pain! I wonder if it's a Wyandotte trait. I often regret adding my Silver and Gold Wyandotte to my flock. Recently, one of my RIR's was getting picked on for no apparent reason. I checked her for mites, had her stool checked for parasites. Thinking, maybe she is ill. She is healthy, there is nothing wrong with her. Whenever I entered the coop she would fly to me. It broke my heart. Everything you are experiencing, I too experienced. They wouldn't allow her to eat and similar to you there is plenty of space, feeders for much more than I have. It just so happened that I had ordered an additional coop for the 3 roosters that I recently removed from the hen/pullet house. When the coop arrived, I placed Lucy, (Lucille Ball) the RIR, in the new coop. I placed one of the Silkies she originally brooded with, in with her so she wouldn't be lonely. It's working out well for her. Yesterday, I free ranged Lucy and Pandora (Silkie) with the other girls. Don't you know it, the Wyandotte and my Buff Orpington (Mollie Sunshine, also the offender) cornered her and began pecking on her. I quickly picked her up and she free ranged away from them.
Unfortunately, I also think the best course of action is to separate her from the bullies.
I'm wondering if they are bullied because they are too submissive? I wish I knew. But once again there is peace.
One thing that I am beginning to realize is there is never homeostasis. Things are always changing. Just when you think it's settled, something else occurs. Never a dull moment!
Keep us posted.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

That sound horrible!poor baby!Im glad it's a bit better now!

So, My mom does NOT want to quarantine Raven or seperete them.Its been a bit chaotic in the coop right now(Acorn died, Brownie has Crop issues so Shes in and out)So I think that may be Whats causing the problem.Im going to keep a eye on her and see if it all works out.

Good luck, MollieSumshine!