Li'lFlock
Chirping
My 3 girls are 7 months old. No changes other than I’ve had a week off of work to let them out of their coop every day for at least 5 hours a day. More days have been as soon as they wake until they sleep. So they’re not actin out from boredom or confinement.
One of my girls keeps getting picked on. She’s the only (Brahma) one with feathered feet, and I keep finding scabs where her feathers have been plucked.
At first I thought it was my RIR because we caught her in the act a few times. They were very random, while they were out foraging, so I wasn’t sure if it was pecking order or a quick, “hey that looks like something edible” quick peck and not intentional.
Well, yesterday I went to go let the girls out, but walked away because I forgot my keys. While my back was turned, I heard lots of squawking and turned to see what was going on. I see my BR yelling and jumping all over my Brahma, clawing and nipping at her back, a feather in her beak. Brahma is making a run for it into the coop. RIR is pacing back and forth, up and down (ramp) from the coop to the run. I let them out and they all go separate ways. I walk in then hear commotion again. RIR is gone, went to lay. BR has a feather in her beak again and Brahma is hiding under my porch. I check her to see fresh missing foot feather scabs and a superficial scratch near her eye.
Today I went out and BR is in the run sunning all by herself. The other 2 are hiding in the coop. I peek I. The coop and it looks like a bloody massacre on the roost. Brahma had at least 2 feathers plucked from her foot again. No other visible injuries. They came out for a bit all together. Then RIR went to lay again. Brahma avoids BR to the point of running away from her a few times. Minutes later they are hanging out by each other. RIR rejoins and they are all together just fine.
Do I, or how long do I let this play out? When do I intervene? What steps do I take before someone becomes dinner instead of breakfast provider? I would hate for it to come to this before spring with having such a small flock. TIA for any input.
One of my girls keeps getting picked on. She’s the only (Brahma) one with feathered feet, and I keep finding scabs where her feathers have been plucked.
At first I thought it was my RIR because we caught her in the act a few times. They were very random, while they were out foraging, so I wasn’t sure if it was pecking order or a quick, “hey that looks like something edible” quick peck and not intentional.
Well, yesterday I went to go let the girls out, but walked away because I forgot my keys. While my back was turned, I heard lots of squawking and turned to see what was going on. I see my BR yelling and jumping all over my Brahma, clawing and nipping at her back, a feather in her beak. Brahma is making a run for it into the coop. RIR is pacing back and forth, up and down (ramp) from the coop to the run. I let them out and they all go separate ways. I walk in then hear commotion again. RIR is gone, went to lay. BR has a feather in her beak again and Brahma is hiding under my porch. I check her to see fresh missing foot feather scabs and a superficial scratch near her eye.
Today I went out and BR is in the run sunning all by herself. The other 2 are hiding in the coop. I peek I. The coop and it looks like a bloody massacre on the roost. Brahma had at least 2 feathers plucked from her foot again. No other visible injuries. They came out for a bit all together. Then RIR went to lay again. Brahma avoids BR to the point of running away from her a few times. Minutes later they are hanging out by each other. RIR rejoins and they are all together just fine.
Do I, or how long do I let this play out? When do I intervene? What steps do I take before someone becomes dinner instead of breakfast provider? I would hate for it to come to this before spring with having such a small flock. TIA for any input.
