Picked on polish. help?

[mother o' chicks72]

My sweet, stupid little bantam polish is the low girl on the totem pole and the other girls have been ripping out her fro-feathers, i noticed this when i was petting her fro and it felt kinda sparse so i parted the feathers to reveal a round bald spot about the twice the size of a quarter, it was obvious the feathers had been ripped out and that it wasn't some weird freaky disease or something. is there something i can do to prevent the bigger meaner girls from plucking her feathers out? thanks!

 

[sourland]

Polish are frequently picked upon by larger more dominant birds. There are many posts on the forum about such incidents. Whether beccause of temperment, obscured vision, or jealousy (joke) it happens. Trimming crests to improve vision may help, but the only surefire cure once crest plucking has started is seperate pens for the Polish.

 

[mother o' chicks72]

I guess I'll be trimming her gorgeous fro. they're backyard birds so I don't have room for a separate pen. Poor girl.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I've always thought that the downside of having chickens is that darn pecking order. It happens with all animals but it seem particularly extreme with hens. I'm just offering my support as you decide what to do if the matter gets worse. I had one hen just lay down and die after being picked on incessantly for two years. I had to rehome a particularly difficult "pecker". I miss both these girls but my little flock of four is happy and healthy and my garden a more peaceful place. Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

I have 2 full size polish 6 month old hens who have both been picked on someshat by their fellow 6 mo, olds, and 1 had that same bald patch twice when she was younger (the new short feathers were pulled out as soon asthey all came in.) We just sprayed blu-kote on her head and separated them for 2 months with a few other bantams. The feathers grew back in completely in 3 weeks. Nowadays she won't tolerate being pecked on--she just runs away or she will peck those who get too close. The other girl got her eye pecked and probaly is blind, but it healed up nicely. We have trimmed their feathers around their eyes, but you have to trim often. I would rehome them if I could, but they get along okay now in the large group. Your chick should just be separated in a do pen temporarily in the same coop, and spray her head with blu-kote (available at feed stores.)