Ruffled feathers and off food

[spangles]

Hi I am new to BYC and also keeping chickens.... although I am loving them to bits.... I have 6 Brown Shavers that I aquired last December and all seemed to be going well until a couple of weeks ago one of them was very quiet..ruffled her feathers and kept them ruffled... she didn't eat much and couldn't see that she was being picked on at all, so I took her to the vet who gave her antibiotics (last one was on sat) and have kept her inside for the past 2 days. Been feeding her mash with warm water, porridge, boiled aggs, pellets, and vege scraps and she seems a bit better, no ruffled feathers and alot livlier. So I put her back to roam in my garden with others and 2 of them made a b line for her and started picking on her. So I've taken her away from them and she's back in doors. When and how should I try and put her back with the others? (also have noticed another of my girls with feathers out of her neck and 'running' scared in the coop if she's approached by the other chickens..) please help I seem to be running round after them more than my 3 kids!!

 

[Mahonri]

HI, WELCOME TO BYC!!

Sounds like when your hen came back they were simply trying to re establish pecking order.

Lets see, they are six months old so they should be laying. Do you think that the ruffled feathers girl was trying to go broody on you? There's a slight possibility, even with Shavers.

Also sounds like you've got a couple of feather picking bullies.... you may need to rehome the abusers.

 

[spangles]

Yep they were all laying daily - until about 2 weeks ago when 2 of them stopped (one being this sick one). I'm not too sure she was trying to go broody as she stayed outside in the run, very quietly and on her own. I thought they stay mainly in the coop and don't move off the nesting boxes when they're broody?
Are you saying I should remove the offenders permanently or just from the flock for a couple of days?
It's so nice to get some really good tips and ideas from other chicken lovers... I've already sprussed up their run with big branches and some CD's hanging off wire for a bit of amusement ..