Polish getting beat up - help, please!

[RyRy2]

Hi, I'm fairly new to chickens and haven't posted to the forum before.. I ordered a variety of pullets from a hatchery and they came in the mail back in March. They just turned 7 weeks old.. I've noticed that the top of my little Polish hen's head was a little bald, but having never had one before wasn't sure if it was normal and that maybe she just hadn't grown in all her feathers yet(I never saw anyone pecking her).. Well tonight I saw the other chicks pecking her head, luckily we spotted it just as it was starting to bleed and I was able to grab her and get her separated. My question is, do you think I can keep her separated until she heals and then re-introduce her, or will they just go after her again because she is so different? I don't want to give her up, but I would rather do that, then have the others or one of my older chickens end up killing her.

Thanks

 

[Zaxby's2]

First,

You could consider fencing her off in a section of your pen, that way your other chicks could see her but not hurt her. In time they will probably get used to her being with them and not peck at her when you put her back in with them the second time. It will mainly just give her a chance to grow and be able to defend herself better once they're all older. My only advice would be to treat her like a new addition to the flock. Hope this helps and good luck with your chickens!

 

[welasharon]

There's no telling if they will accept her or not. Sometimes they will (mine do fine with a cuckoo marans and a barred rock and some silkies) sometimes you read on here they will not. Try the separation but in sight and re-introduce her but keep a close watch till you can tell if they are going to behave.
sharon

 

[RyRy2]

ok thanks, right now I have her in a small dog crate in the same pen (I had read on here that it was important to keep them within site of each other). It just seems so odd because they all came together and have been raised together since 2 days old. One of my local friends suggested I get a few more polish (strength / safety in numbers), but then I worry that they will all get beat up. It is definitely a mixed group though - 3 Barred Rocks, 2 brown Americaunas, 1 white Americauna, 1 Red Starr, 1 SLW, 1 Buff Cochin, 1 Mille Fleur, 1 Red Frizzle cochin, and my 1 Golden Polish. I'm not really getting them so much for egg production as bug control and they are kind of like fish, relaxing to watch, so i got a mixed bag of chicks. I also have 6 older bird, 2 Turken-mix Roosters, 1 Turken hen, and 3 Americauna mix hens (only 1 lays a green egg). anyway I thought with the variety no one would get picked on. sorry for rambling, I tend to when I talk about the chicks. thanks for the advise. I will keep her separated for now, but let me know what you think about more Polish to kind of even the odds a bit.

Thanks again..

 

[Zaxby's2]

Another polish or two would even the playing field out and give your polish an advantage, considering she will have another that looks like her. It isn't too big a deal if you don't add one though.