Sick or just picked on--do chickens fight?

[ShelleyN]

I'm wondering if Pearl, my molting chicken isn't sick, but being picked on. We only have 3, but Rose is the boss. I notice some pin feathers have been removed from Pearls neck. Do chickens fight? I've always considered us lucky that the boss has only given the occasional peck to the underling, usually around food, but could it have escalated? I'm thinking of separating them at night, but I honestly want to separate the mean one and let Pearl be with her "neutral" sister on the roost at night. Anyone separated the dominate chicken and let the lesser one stay with the group?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If that's the issue your point of removing the bully is the proper way to do it. If molting it might only look like being pecked at or it could be.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

You may want to sit and watch what's going on exactly. i know that sounds like an exciting adventure.

It may just be the molt, or i notice sometimes that when a hen is molting, they do get pecked more often. Because they look funny and have new feathers sticking out, it can inspire revamping of the pecking order. And then some hens develop a taste for new feathers and blood when one of their friends go into a molt. If you do have a bully in your midst, remove her for a spell to give Pearl a chance to feather in. You may also want to do a check for mites or lice. Good luck, hope everything works out.

 

[ShelleyN]

Upon another, closer inspection, it appears her beautiful new pin feathers on her neck--which were there the other day--have been removed. Some at the skin level, some entirely. I did notice that she and her "neutral" sister LuLu were doing the chest bump thing again last week. They haven't done that since they were young and trying to find the pecking order originally. Pearl has always been on the bottom. I do know if Pearl continues to act this pathetic, things are not going to improve.

 

[ShelleyN]

Brought her in the kitchen and set her up with her own little coop. She's just sitting in the shavings, not interested in going up on the roost.