Permanently Isolating Bullied Hen

[Mohawkian]

Hello! I have not seen this addressed in any threads so far and I really need an answer or at least advice. Over the course of 6 to 8 months we have a smaller hen who is not a Bantam but could be considered a very large Bantam or a very small Leghorn. The issue is she has been picked on by the entire flock for quite some time. We have tended to her injuries, temporarily isolated her, and nursed her back to health on 2 separate occasions. The injuries were severe. Our two roosters always mated with her as their first choice and WAAAAAY too aggressively. (One of those roosters was a baby from one of the hens, which is why we have two).

Winnie has a very, very sweet personality and doesn't seem to mind being isolated. We currently have her in a crate in the garage at night or in bad weather (she loves listening to country music) and let her free range during the day near the other chickens but in a separate picket fenced area against the house. We are also building her a very cute little chicken coop right now so she can live in that fenced area, which is about 16' by 18'. Is this OK? We just want her to be happy and she's so sweet that we can't bear the thought of not having her or having her attacked again.

I should also mention she always kept a distance from the flock or roosted up high away from the other chickens since we took her from her old owner, who also said she was bullied by his flock!?!?!
We also tried reintegration this last time by putting her in a crate in the coop with the flock and they still tried to attack her through the wire :/


All thoughts and suggestions welcomed.

 

[lomine]

I have one in my flock that is similar. She hasn't been hurt but she gets picked on. I think it's because she is so submissive she acts almost fearful. She seems perfectly happy but sometimes she gets herself stuck in a corner and her weird behavior triggers the other chickens to peck. Makes sense if you consider that in the wild she would endanger the flock with her antics.

I think it would be unfair to your hen to isolate her permanently. Chickens are flock animals. Have you tried separating her from the flock with a buddy?

 

[0die]

is the flock a different breed? I've seen where chickens will separate or form gangs along breed lines.

I think it's better to address the bully. The bully will just turn to the next lowest chicken and continue I think.

 

[Erin80]

My Faverolle gets picked on, even now one year later. She’s been picked on since we first integrated her (with two others) into our flock. She is missing neck feathers but has no injuries. Like your hen, she has a super sweet personality and is very submissive (bottom or near bottom of pecking order). She roosts with her “friend”, a BA that was raised with her from day old. The BA will pick at her on the roost and the faverolle will turn her head and just stay very still until the BA goes back to preening. This happens over and over until they go to sleep. Throughout the day she is not picked on, but they free range and she tends to do her own thing. I think the only better match for her would be another Faverolle. Chicken dynamics are tricky!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Aww. Poor thing. X2, permanently isolating her isn’t any better.
Also, welcome to BYC! Have a great time in our AWESOME community!

 

[Mohawkian]

I have one in my flock that is similar. She hasn't been hurt but she gets picked on. I think it's because she is so submissive she acts almost fearful. She seems perfectly happy but sometimes she gets herself stuck in a corner and her weird behavior triggers the other chickens to peck. Makes sense if you consider that in the wild she would endanger the flock with her antics.

I think it would be unfair to your hen to isolate her permanently. Chickens are flock animals. Have you tried separating her from the flock with a buddy?

This sounds very similar to my situation and I also wondered if a buddy would be good for her. She’s little. Would a bantam be better or an older chick who no longer needs to be warmed?

 

[Mohawkian]

is the flock a different breed? I've seen where chickens will separate or form gangs along breed lines.

I think it's better to address the bully. The bully will just turn to the next lowest chicken and continue I think.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single bully and once she was removed the flock is acting normally with no other fighting.

 

[Mohawkian]

My Faverolle gets picked on, even now one year later. She’s been picked on since we first integrated her (with two others) into our flock. She is missing neck feathers but has no injuries. Like your hen, she has a super sweet personality and is very submissive (bottom or near bottom of pecking order). She roosts with her “friend”, a BA that was raised with her from day old. The BA will pick at her on the roost and the faverolle will turn her head and just stay very still until the BA goes back to preening. This happens over and over until they go to sleep. Throughout the day she is not picked on, but they free range and she tends to do her own thing. I think the only better match for her would be another Faverolle. Chicken dynamics are tricky!

She’s a small Leghorn, I think. So I’m thinking maybe a Bantam would be best to introduce?

 

[Mohawkian]

Aww. Poor thing. X2, permanently isolating her isn’t any better.
Also, welcome to BYC! Have a great time in our AWESOME community!

Thanks!

 

[Lobo123]

I also have really similar situation with one of my hens. I'll watch this thread and see if I can also get some advice.