Picking on our girl

[ChickenTom]

We have 12 girls...all laying, about 7 months old. Big pen covered pen and coop-all the girls go outside everyday. It being winter, grouchy and cabin fever going on, we have one girl, Cleo, who is getting picked on. So much so that tonight when I went out to put them to bed (get them all into the coop and close the door to the pen), Cleo didn't want to go inside! She hung out in the pen, in the dark, almost crying. I eventually gently pursuaded her in. I stuck my head into the coop on my way back to the house...she was in the corner, scootched down getting her face pecked! Cleo is an americana and the one picking on her (Maxx) is a black wyndotte. I stepped in and pushed Maxx away and made a big loud ruckus. I scooped Cleo up, held her for a long time, and actually took her into the house for a break. She wasn't happy in the house (crying, shaking, etc...). I brough her back out, but am now worrying. Do I just need to seperate Maxx from the rest for a few days? What should we do?

 

[draye]

Sometimes taking the bully out and putting her in another pen with others will sometimes cure them of being a bully, but not always. If you do not have another coop of chickens to put her with try a rabbit cage of something simialar and put her in that for 2 to 3 days then put her back in.

 

[teach1rusl]

Agree....focus on the girl or girls doing the bullying, not the chicken being bullied. Try isolating the bully for a day or two (or three) and then putting her back in there. Sometimes this knocks the bully down a peg or two. I also "peck" a bully with my finger/hand when someone is being ugly. Good luck...hope your bully calms down.