they are attacking her!

[shell3]

thank you guys some really good advice there. bombies crop was huge and solid this morning i managed to empty it and she ate some pellets but going crazy to get out of the cage so ive put her outside for a few hours in the little run. snows stopped but still cold thou she seems v happy to get out. shes pecking up bits of the floor now its dirt and wood chunks but she was eating bits of sawdust in the cage so.... maybe her problem is eating weird things she shouldnt! who knows. anyway she would have to go out eventually so cant stop her. the other two hens are seperated by wire mesh. they are vicious toward her! hoping they get used to her again this way. may spray them with vinegar latter. is it just white vinegar from the kitchen mixed with water?

 

[shell3]

just realised it wasnt on this thread about spraying them all with vinegar but does anyone know?

 

[shell3]

well i left bombie out in the small run all day, then went out when it started to get dark and sneakily opened the pen door. beauty, who seems to be in charge now, gave her a little peck but nothing too aggresive so i stayed out there for about half an hour just keeping an eye on things. angel, my other hen ignored her for the most part, a little peck once or twice but didnt damage any feathers. beauty had a bit of a go but just pecking once and walking away, she snipped a few feathers(how sharp are those beaks!) looked like a pair of scissors chopped them! but no damage to skin at all. and she didnt pluck them like she did before, seemed more warning than attack. at one scary moment she did jump on her back and peck her head then jumped back off, so quick i couldnt react but no damage, again more warning i think. bombie just took it, put her head down, didnt run, didnt fight back. like she accepted the submisive role. she was in charge before she got ill and wouldnt have had any of that before i dont think but shes so weak now i dont think she cares. anyway after about an hour of me standing outside in the snow watching them i decided the worst seemed to be over. the two got up to roost on top of the coop and bombie was on the floor so i picked her up and put her with them, mistake! they pecked her again, i shouldnt have interfered! any way it was very dark so ten mins latter i took the plunge and bundled them all into the coop for bed. the two ate and she slowly and nervously joined in. i closed the door and spent a very nervous 15 mins loitering. then took their water in and checked on them. the two were lying down on one side and bombie was standing in the opposite corner i hoped they would be cuddled up together but at least they seemed civil. hopefully they have gone to sleep now and will be happy in love again in the morning tempted to check on them again, i wont sleep tonight worrying! good new is that her crop seems smaller today and shes eating pellets, i think because they are, so shes definately better off back outdoors. she seems happier.i realise i may be talking to myself now but i will post in the morning how things worked out incase anyone reads this later and wants to know thank you for your fab advice on this thou, i was at a loss of what to do and the the food together thing seems to have worked a treat

 

[Suzie]

Hi!

I posted on another thread about spraying the feathers of the chickens (when they are all together on the roost) I use a standard brown malt vinegar - now you should know Sarson's ,malt vinegar.... in England....!

I have had success with this - good luck!

Suzie

 

[Chambertin]

Ahh, that explains a lot.
If she was the top girl befroe the illness then she's going to get some extra "messages" that she isnt in charge anymore. In my flock there was some excessive pecking and lots of chasing each other around until the new top girl was established.
As long as it isnt a continued attack, or they are pecking in the face area, just let them be. They will work it out faster when you just let them be chickens.
Once everyone has a chance to understand the new order then you can be like a rooster and break up any little spats. Still they need their time to settle into the new pecking order.
Sounds like its pretty well established and try to help them sleep together after a couple nights of them sorting out on their own. They should let her roost together after a night or two, if they dont then try a helping hand.

Glad she's doing better!

Edit: Those beaks were designed for tearing off bits of plants and bugs, or small creatures. A good grab, a quick neck snap and many things give way. Looks like scissors, but its that twist and snap that does it so clean.

 

[shell3]

right i guess that makes sense, shes always been the biggest and the first to try new things, they would always wait for her to try new food before they tried it. i thought it was suspicion of the food and she was just braver but perhaps it was a respect thing?
they never go into the coop at night they always sit on top of it and wait for me to lift them in when it gets dark, even when im late they seem annoyed but still wait! lol.
so i did check on them again last night, i made out i was changing the water bowl,dont know why i felt i needed to have an excuse! lol even walked up the garden and back! anyway they were all lying down, its a small coop so they cant be far away from each other but bombie was furthest apart. when i let them out this morning they pecked her again but not excessivly, and it seems angel was doing the pecking this time, maybe her turn? when bombie tried to eat or peck something they ran at her! i hope they will let her eat!! she needs to build strengh! anyway they are all out in the run together but angel and beauty are together all the time and bombie just sits all alone looking sad hopefully they will be nice to her soon although she never was very sociable she was normally the one on her own and those two were always together. as long as they arnt hurting her i will leave them to get on with it. is it likely that they would suddenly attack? could they do serious damage?!
im concerned because i still need to give bombie her nystatin and metronidizole, i do it by syringe and drip it on her beak, it takes me a good 15-20 mins but i dont want to take her in the house incase they start over again! i might take it out and sit in the run and do it but i know theyll think shes getting treats and their not! maybe ill leave it til latter on and take them some mealworms.
on the up side her crop is empty this morning! hasnt been empty completely for weeks. she dosnt look energetic thou, shes moving slowly, could this be a submissive thing? if not then shes just weak. shes clearly still unwell as her comb is all shrivelled and a very dull colour. and she hasnt laid an egg for over a month and the others, even thou we have snow right now, lay nearly everyday! even had 3 eggs from the two of them the other morning! i should be taking her to vets tomorrow but now im scared to take her away from them! maybe i should take one of the others with her? that vets gonna think im nutty!!

. well fingers crossed her health starts improving and she puts on some weight. x

 

[shell3]

thanks suzie, i sure do have some sarsons in the cupboard! lol i think its a great idea, even if i dont do it this time, i may not need it now, i think its a good one to know. i love all the good bits of info i get on this site

 

[Chambertin]

Dont worry too much about short term seperation. They'll probably just wonder if she foud some better treats she doesnt want to share.
I would say anything under a 24 hour period will be fine. So long as they wake up together anything will be Ok.

If possible you might want to watch over feeding time, or peek out to make sure that she will eat after the two other girls.
The smaller ones usually get a chance after the other girls have had their turn but with the readjustment they might have lingering food protection instincts.
Meaning the sick girl might not get a chance to get what she needs.
Dont be afraid to play rooster and clear a path for the sick girl to eat. A couple pokes now to the dominant one will let her know that the sick girl is on the bottom, but Your on the top and let the sick one eat.

If she's still laying then the worst is over, or hasnt started yet. All our sick ones laid an egg just before it went bad, or just after they turned back to normal.
From your descriptoin its probably a sign shes on the mend.

You should be ok, you're worrying about the right things. Just be assured you can calm down some about the pecking order and seperation now plus feel free to be assertive at feeding time.

 

[shell3]

thank you thats helpful and the way you word things makes so much sense

i may have confused you on the egg laying thou, bombie hasnt laid an egg for over a month, the other two lay but not her. thats how i know shes really ill, that and the comb

 

[shell3]

this is bombie in the run today and with my other hens. was actually trying to download a video to show you what their doing but cant figure it out! lol