One of my two barred rock chickens is getting pecked on the comb. She has pocked scabs all over her comb, and a couple on her wattles. This has been going on for about 3 weeks now, and it seems to be getting worse not better. Should I isolate her from the flock? If so, I am thinking to do so by putting her inside a dog crate inside the coop, so that she won't be completely out of the social order (just not being pecked). Any advice? I have 4 chickens - 2 BR, 1 NHR and 1 EE. The one BR is the only one with any signs of pecking or scabs. Thanks in advance. Edited to add: the gals all just started laying about the time the pecking problem showed up. They are now about 29-30 weeks old.
Try to find out which hen is pecking her and remove that one for a day or two. This will change the pecking order and perhaps make things better
Quote:YES. If you remove the one being picked on - it will become really difficult to re-introduce her at a later date. As long as she's not bleeding too bad, to attract more picking, clean her up and remove the picker!
Are they fighting over nest? Do you have enough nest boxes? The others are right. Try to remove the one doing the harm first.
OK! That's easy to take out the chicken who pecks her. It's Sarah (Palin), the NHR, and this is just about the right timing. I'll take her out on Tuesday. Seriously, if I have time, I'll take her out tomorrow. All politics aside, thanks for the suggestion. Sarah will go in the dog crate, but I don't want to think about the awful wailing noise she will make; she hates being alone. In the long run, Sarah may be leaving the flock permanently because I am the top gal, and I don't like her. Not because of her name Sarah. Anyone want to buy a standoffish, stupid, and obnoxious-noise-making NHR? Who also seems to be beating up on my favorite chicken? I have 2 nest boxes, but no one ever uses the second one. My nest box is also big enough for 2 chickens side by side. Yesterday I watched my EE and the (pecked) BR in there together.
Quote:Hmmmm...I think you need some "sales" training. But seriously, I hope she gets better after you separate her for a couple days.
She is a good layer! If you want eggs, she's a great bird. If you want personality, look elsewhere...
I may get beat up for this again but when I had a pullet that became possesed by the devil, I processed her and harmony returned to my little group. I got really beaten down for saying so in here because supposedly I "punished" a bird for acting naturally because the person assumed I wanted all the eggs I could carry. She never read what my problem really was;NOTHING to do with wanting eggs, that the bird was mean to not only me, (which doesn't fly too far when I pay for feed) she was mean to others in the barn as well. I felt as though this wicked animal should not go into someone elses flock and pull the same crazy act with the screaming and attacking. Someone in here had a cute signature that asked: why is it that the meanest roosters always the taste the best? Or something similar. Very cute and fitting.
Quote:Yes the animal worship in here gets a little heavy at times:>) Some things should simply be ignored...
