My poor banty !

[Chicken Woman]

I have 4 RIR's and 7 banties (assorted). One of my banties is a polish and is almost bald except right over her eyes. They have all been together from the start. I feel so bad for her but not sure what to do ? I haven't seen anyone in paticular bothering her. I have used blue-kote, and then cold tar as I was told they taste bad and the other girls would leave her alone but no luck. Does anyone know what will make them stop ? My coop is 8 by 8 and the run is 16 by 8 so I think they have plenty of room. I don't have room to seperate my big girls from my banties. Should I get rid of her ? IM worried that if I get rid of her the same thing would keep happening anyway. i also hear to use vicks in the frathers that are left and the other girls won't like the smell ? Should I try that ?

I feel so bad for her as she looks so weird. It's also cold here in Montana and she has a bare head !!!!

 

[Cetawin]

Is she molting? Or is she being picked on and being bloodied?

 

[Chicken Woman]

A couple of times she has been bloodied from them plucking out feathers. I used neosporin and blue-kote

 

[Cetawin]

That is all you can do...unless you find one that is picking on her. when you try to introduce her back into the flock...do you hang around with them to stop the picking on her? You may have too.

 

[Wanda]

I had a similiar problem with my Salmon Faverolle and a bantam picking off her beard. I was told that when you mix bearded with unbearded, the unbearded think the beards aren't suppose to be there so pick at them. Maybe it is the same thing with Polish and their head feathers? Anyway, nobody had a solution but my SF was without her beard til she molted. I did separate her for part of the day for a while and her beard is back and my bantam hasn't bothered it again (yet?) maybe because she got use to it as it was growing back? they are together all the time again.

Wanda

 

[MissPrissy]

It is very common that when polish are mixed with other birds they often get plucked bald. I had 3 little hens that I rehomed and one of the reasons being they were always bloody and plucked bald. Polish and Silkies, among others, seem to need their own pens and often don't survive as well when in a mixed a flock.

 

[Chicken Woman]

When i watch them during the day they don't seem to bother her. They must pluck at her at night while on the perch. IM going to try seperating her at night and see if that helps. I have a dog kennel that I could put her in at night. My 11 year old son just loves this hen so maybe we will make her his pet and keep her alone at least for awhile.

Thanks for the help