Pecking below the eyes?!

[LozzyR]

Hello fellow chook lovers. I took my eight month-old Barred Rock pullet to the vet today as she’s limping. She gave me some meds and I brought her home. I let her out to free-range before bedtime and my two Isa Browns who are Boss Chook and 2IC started doing this weird thing where they appeared to be pecking/licking under the pullet’s eyes. She just sat there and took it and I shooed them off every time they went near her. I separated them at bedtime as I need to contain her to get meds into her in the morning. The other pullet isn’t bothered but she’s bottom of the pecking order.

I get that it’s a domineering/bullying behaviour, but what on earth are they doing?! The 2IC started it first and she’s usually pretty cruisey and not particularly aggressive. They kept going for the same spot so I just wondered what’s up with that?

 

[aart]

Was it aggression or preening?
Sometimes they will preen each other faces and all seem to tolerate or even enjoy it.

 

[LozzyR]

I’m not sure, it seemed to start out gently, but Lucy the boss chook doesn’t do gentle. It looked rougher after that so I thought best to keep them away, especially when they ran at her.

I got the pills down Bessie’s throat (just!) but I couldn’t get her to eat the porridge I’d mixed the pain meds into. I tried syringing the liquid down her throat yesterday at the vet’s but I just couldn’t hold her head still enough.

 

[aart]

I tried syringing the liquid down her throat yesterday at the vet’s but I just couldn’t hold her head still enough.

Maybe this would help?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[LozzyR]

Maybe this would help?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Thanks for that. Hubby helped me this evening with the pills and the syringe. Poor baby, she was not happy! She should get a good night’s sleep though.