Pecked on Polish Hen, Any Ideas?

[SBFChickenGirl]

I've got a polish hen that is relatively high in the pecking order but has been getting pecked. I don't know what to do. It's the feathers on her head. A little bit of blood from the feathers coming out, but none from pecking. Separated her so she could heal and then put her back in. Again, the feathers on her head (two days after I put her back in) are mostly gone. The missing feathers are on the top of her crest, and the missing feathers are in a circle about the size of a quarter. Any ideas about how to keep this from happening again?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pick no more helps temporarily. Unfortunately Polish are prone to being targeted.

I have read of people hanging feather dusters in the run to help distract the ones pulling feathers.

Is she your only Polish?

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Yup, she is.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Is there a way to section off a piece of the coop and run for her?

I had a terrible time with Polish in my mixed flock. They got picked on like yours is getting.

If you have room to segregate her I would. If she can see the others she wont be horribly lonely.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

As 21 hens says polish are unfortunately prone to this happening. I even have it happen in my all polish flocks. Those crest feathers are far too tempting!
Really nasty tasting anti peck spray can help & blue kote if there is blood showing because if they see red it just exasperates the problem. Lots of distractions in the run can also help. Whole cabbages hung up for them to peck at. Things for them to hop up on to. A good dust bath. Anything at all that you can think of to distract them.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

I don't have enough room to separate her. I'll put some blue coat on her.

 

[21hens-incharge]

If you keep her crest trimmed away from her eyes it will help her see the others coming. She can avoid some issues that way.

I used pick no more with success. It has to be reapplied often.

Get creative giving them things to do. Rearranging the things in the run often helps too.

 

[rckirby]

Well, this might not work for you, but we got our Polish Hen from a neighbor of my sons who had 'normal' hens. They picked on her so bad, but she was such a loving lady that they wanted to find a home for her. Being that we live in the country and used to raise chickens they asked us if we could take her.

 

[rckirby]

I've got a polish hen that is relatively high in the pecking order but has been getting pecked. I don't know what to do. It's the feathers on her head. A little bit of blood from the feathers coming out, but none from pecking. Separated her so she could heal and then put her back in. Again, the feathers on her head (two days after I put her back in) are mostly gone. The missing feathers are on the top of her crest, and the missing feathers are in a circle about the size of a quarter. Any ideas about how to keep this from happening again?

We bought a parrot cage and brought her inside because she's the only one and it's in the 20's. She's given us 4 small eggs the last couple weeks. Hubby cleans the cage every 2 days. The dogs love her, and I'm seriously looking into diapers because she just wants to be with her peeps.