Should I Put My Pecked Polish Back with the Flock?

[JustBabyMargo]

Well, I went out to check on the whole flock, and one of my white rock hens went and pecked both my other Polishes on the backs as soon as I got out there, but then she ran over and pecked a cochin and one of my roosters as well..like she was just looking for backs to peck.

But tonight when I was putting them up, I did notice that the other golden-laced Polish is missing a couple of tail feathers. But she doesn't act timid like the other one. She actually goes back at anyone who messes with her. I'm really thinking about trimming all of their head feathers this weekend though. The buff one couldn't even see to get back into the coop tonight.

I'm just not sure what to do. I guess it will depend on whether the other one does well with the group tomorrow morning. I know them all being stuck inside for the last week while we had terrible weather probably got some tempers flaring. Plus, I have got to figure out what to do with two of my four roosters. I don't even like two of them, but it breaks my heart to think of getting rid of them. I don't know if I have it in me to put them in a "roosters only" flock because I'd have to build them something to live in, especially if I end up having to do a Polish only group too. I guess I could buy the two roosters a little coop?

I'm just not having a great week, and this chicken drama isn't helping.

Sorry you’re having so much trouble! I hope everything goes well! And as your babies grow up and reach laying age and everything they should mellow out and be nicer to each other! You just have to get them there. Yeah not sure on those roosters! I’m terrible judgement of them because I’m the same way as you!

 

[SeaSea47]

Sorry you’re having so much trouble! I hope everything goes well! And as your babies grow up and reach laying age and everything they should mellow out and be nicer to each other! You just have to get them there. Yeah not sure on those roosters! I’m terrible judgement of them because I’m the same way as you!

I hope so. My ducks have been so much easier, and all I've heard is that I have too many drakes, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of any, and they all seem to get along just fine! I just hope the roosters mellow out and I don't have to get rid of any of them either. I'll probably start free-ranging them soon, so that may help...

 

[Fontaine]

I may just do that tomorrow then. She's laying down a lot, and I figure she's had an entire week of having to constantly watch for the others. I just don't want to wait too long so that they won't accept her back.

I've only had to put one chicken in solitude in the past - she became egg bound and bled, and I had to take her to the vet and put her on antibiotics. She was separated for a nearly a week. When I tried to reintegrate her into the flock, they nearly killed her on multiple occasions, even with her sleeping in a cage next to them. She was the biggest and highest on the pecking order before the incident too. It was so sad, so she basically lived in a cage next to their coop, and I'd let her free range each day, but she was soooo lonely.

And then one day, out of the blue, I had two random chickens just show up in my yard - no idea where they came from - and they started hanging out with her and became her best little friends. They'd go in her cage and get on the roost with her. So, I built a second coop for those three

 

[SeaSea47]

Well, @JustBabyMargo and anyone else who is interested...

I got my girl off the porch today and held her and cuddled her for a while. Then she got a haircut, which I'm not sure I did a great job with because my hands were shaking and I was afraid of cutting the wrong feathers, and then she got some more blukote. My dad put her in the coop with the others while I opened their door for them to go out into the run. I figured if there was a lot going on at once, they wouldn't be so focused on her. I also gave them a little treat of blueberries and romaine lettuce to distract them a little bit.

We sat and watched her for about an hour in the run. She held her own pretty well. A few of them came up and put their faces really close to her bald spot and backed off, and a couple did peck, but they quit once they tasted the blukote. The white rock that was bothering her before did peck her several times once when she laid down in the sun, but I shooed her away, and she hasn't tried again since. I did notice there's one little spot under her wing that I missed with the blukote, but you can only see it when she spreads them out, so if I need to, I'll grab her tonight and fix that.I'll be going out and checking on her every other hour today. She just seems so happy to be reunited with other chickens and to be outside.

Otherwise, she seems to be doing okay. She hasn't been outside much in her life, and she's really enjoying hanging out in the sun. She even tried to start a little fight with one of the other hens. She pushes her way right into the middle of a group too. I have noticed she lays down a lot and she's not really steady on her feet, but she hasn't had a lot of exercise over the last few weeks because she's been hiding in corners, so I'm just going to keep an eye on her and intervene again if necessary. I may also scramble them some eggs for extra protein. I'm just so thankful they've pretty much accepted her back with no major issues. I've had such bad experiences reintroducing chickens back into the flock in the past! That's such a relief. And if I do end up having to remove her again in the days ahead, I probably will do a Polish-only coop/run. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Well, @JustBabyMargo and anyone else who is interested...

I got my girl off the porch today and held her and cuddled her for a while. Then she got a haircut, which I'm not sure I did a great job with because my hands were shaking and I was afraid of cutting the wrong feathers, and then she got some more blukote. My dad put her in the coop with the others while I opened their door for them to go out into the run. I figured if there was a lot going on at once, they wouldn't be so focused on her. I also gave them a little treat of blueberries and romaine lettuce to distract them a little bit.

We sat and watched her for about an hour in the run. She held her own pretty well. A few of them came up and put their faces really close to her bald spot and backed off, and a couple did peck, but they quit once they tasted the blukote. The white rock that was bothering her before did peck her several times once when she laid down in the sun, but I shooed her away, and she hasn't tried again since. I did notice there's one little spot under her wing that I missed with the blukote, but you can only see it when she spreads them out, so if I need to, I'll grab her tonight and fix that.I'll be going out and checking on her every other hour today. She just seems so happy to be reunited with other chickens and to be outside.

Otherwise, she seems to be doing okay. She hasn't been outside much in her life, and she's really enjoying hanging out in the sun. She even tried to start a little fight with one of the other hens. She pushes her way right into the middle of a group too. I have noticed she lays down a lot and she's not really steady on her feet, but she hasn't had a lot of exercise over the last few weeks because she's been hiding in corners, so I'm just going to keep an eye on her and intervene again if necessary. I may also scramble them some eggs for extra protein. I'm just so thankful they've pretty much accepted her back with no major issues. I've had such bad experiences reintroducing chickens back into the flock in the past! That's such a relief. And if I do end up having to remove her again in the days ahead, I probably will do a Polish-only coop/run. Thanks for all of your help!

That’s great!! Such good news to hear! I hope this is the end of her problems! You’ve done such a great job caring for her! You’re welcome! Thank YOU for taking care of her! She is very lucky to have you!

 

[SeaSea47]

That’s great!! Such good news to hear! I hope this is the end of her problems! You’ve done such a great job caring for her! You’re welcome! Thank YOU for taking care of her! She is very lucky to have you!

Thank you! I just hate to see any animal suffer, so I will do what I can to prevent that...I'm sure you are the same way!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Thank you! I just hate to see any animal suffer, so I will do what I can to prevent that...I'm sure you are the same way!

Yeah I am! You try your best and hope for the best and that’s the best you can do!

 

[SeaSea47]

Yeah I am! You try your best and hope for the best and that’s the best you can do!

Well, she held her own all day, but this evening, I noticed my barred rock hens were pecking her more frequently. So, we caught her and put more blukote on her and I made sure to get up under her wing. But I'm beginning to wonder if she has some kind of neurological issue. She just doesn't move correctly, lays down a lot, and kind of acts like she's in her own little world. They tend to pick on her more when she's laying down. I have noticed though that the roosters are actually really nice to her, especially my big cochin rooster. She hides up under him sometimes when she's scared.

When she got inside the coop tonight (I made them go in a little early), she just laid down at one of the feeders and started eating until someone stepped on her. I almost brought her inside for the night, but I decided to let her tough it out. My dad is going to get up and check on her super early so they aren't all cooped up together too long.

I may very well end up with that Polish-only pen. Sigh.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Well, she held her own all day, but this evening, I noticed my barred rock hens were pecking her more frequently. So, we caught her and put more blukote on her and I made sure to get up under her wing. But I'm beginning to wonder if she has some kind of neurological issue. She just doesn't move correctly, lays down a lot, and kind of acts like she's in her own little world. They tend to pick on her more when she's laying down. I have noticed though that the roosters are actually really nice to her, especially my big cochin rooster. She hides up under him sometimes when she's scared.

When she got inside the coop tonight (I made them go in a little early), she just laid down at one of the feeders and started eating until someone stepped on her. I almost brought her inside for the night, but I decided to let her tough it out. My dad is going to get up and check on her super early so they aren't all cooped up together too long.

I may very well end up with that Polish-only pen. Sigh.

Maybe she’s depressed? My polish chicks lay around a lot too. They are not bullied too bad (by the polish hens) but they are just a bit lazier. My Baby Margo was a bit more this way until she had friends that were like her (crested) to be with. I would plan on making a polish-only coop. 1 because of situations like this and 2 (for in the future) because they can’t see so well they may get over mated by a rooster who can. I wish our polish could just be out with the others but we’ve had too many problems like yours.

 

[SeaSea47]

Maybe she’s depressed? My polish chicks lay around a lot too. They are not bullied too bad (by the polish hens) but they are just a bit lazier. My Baby Margo was a bit more this way until she had friends that were like her (crested) to be with. I would plan on making a polish-only coop. 1 because of situations like this and 2 (for in the future) because they can’t see so well they may get over mated by a rooster who can. I wish our polish could just be out with the others but we’ve had too many problems like yours.

I guess that's possible. Today's the happiest I've seen her, though it's really the first time she's spent any real time outside in her short life. One because they stayed in the brooder (which turned into my porch becoming a brooder) way too long because my mom died a few weeks after I got them, and two because we've had nonstop rain and storms for a couple of weeks when I finally got them out to the coop, and they pretty much refused to go out. And then she refused to go out because she was so nervous and would stay inside when everyone else went out. She didn't act nervous at all today though. She was in and out, eating and drinking, roosting in the doorway like some of them like to do, sunbathing, and going for snacks.

I'm glad to know yours acted like that too though. I guess I'll start making plans for a Polish-only coop. After the elaborate duck pen we just built, I swore there would be no more construction projects for a while. I just hope my buff Polish doesn't hate me for separating her too because she has absolutely no issues with the bigger chickens. She even goes after my roosters if they get on her nerves. But I do eventually plan to let the rest of them free range, and I'd hate for the Polishes to get picked up by a hawk they don't see coming.