Trouble in the hood

[natemoore1986]

I've had these chickens since they were little fuzzy chicks: two RIR, four BR, and two BSL (black sex-linked). It's been two years and they always seemed to get along great. They get plenty of food, water, and greens for treats. They've got plenty of room, too.

Just recently I've noticed that the two BSL and one of the BRs are tormenting one of my RIR. They chase it into a corner of the coop and peck at it unmercilessly. One of the BSL is making this awful screech that sounds like an eagle's screech. The poor little Red cowers in the roost, afraid to come out.

This afternoon, I had to guard it from the offenders while it took a very long drink from the waterer. I think they're keeping it from eating and drinking. I caught the three bullies in the act and I ran into the coop and grabbed all three, pushed them to the ground, and started shaking their tails to mimic the dominance of a rooster, thinking they'd realize they're not the top chicken, since I'm an amateur chicken psychologist.

The Red seems very healthy. Eyes and ears look good. Feathers are good. No parasites. Nothing.

Any idea why this chicken has apparently been ostracized? I'm thinking about building a separate little coop for her.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[Judy]

They will sometimes attack one who is sick. Chickens are good at hiding illness. Maybe she has some problem you can't identify.

 

[natemoore1986]

They will sometimes attack one who is sick. Chickens are good at hiding illness. Maybe she has some problem you can't identify.

What are the common, hidden illnesses I should look for? I'm not going to take her to a vet for a $250 exam. Should I just let nature take its course? It's a chicken, not a pet, so I'd just as soon fry her and eat her. Prefer not, though.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Personally I'd cull the bullies, not the sweet one!

We once had a group of chickens where the Golden Sex Links all of a sudden (after growing up together and all) started being mean to the Easter Eggers. We got rid of the GSLs.

 

[natemoore1986]

I removed the object of the bullying to a separate pen. She's been by herself for almost two weeks. She does not seem sick at all. From all indications, she seems perfectly happy and normal. She layed a few eggs after being separated, but hasn't layed an egg in two or three days. Her appetite is healthy. Her comb is deep red. No signs of parasites, etc.

How long do you think I should keep her separated before reintroducing her to the rest?

 

[natemoore1986]

It's been three weeks and three days since I put the RIR in it's own pen. She still has a healthy appetite and is laying eggs. If she is sick to the point that the other chickens sense it, but not sick enough to show any outward indications, how long will she hang on? I know this is somewhat of a mind-reader question, but I'm very unfamiliar with chicken sicknesses and behavior.

A couple of times I've tried to re-introduce her to the coop, especially since a predator killed one of my other chickens (unfortunately not one of the mean ones, but fortunately not my favorite BR). The three bullies instantly start attacking and the poor red runs out of the coop as soon as I open the door.

Her pen is temporary and and makes her very vulnerable. I put her in a my workshop the past two nights on a 2x4 clamped to a stool. I'm thinking about building a permanent, varmit-proof coop for her and putting the other RIR in with her. Got to be lonely for her.

 

[RedDrgn]

Separating the one being picked on isn't likely to solve the issue. The longer you keep her apart and then try to reintroduce her, the harder the rest of the flock is likely to resist since they'll consider her a brand new bird (i.e. interloper) and a disruption to the pecking order.

Do you have a run connected to or around your coop? If so, fence off a section of it with separate food, water and a place to shelter, for the one being picked on. That way everyone can see everyone else, but the bullies can't actually get to/harm her. I'd do that for about 2 weeks, after which I'd likely start trying to free range them all together and see how it goes. They might give it up if they can't reach her for so long and just ignore her once they can get to her (if you're lucky). If they try to pick on her again, though, back to the sanctuary for 3-4 weeks before trying it again.

Something else you could mix into the suggestion above is to put pinless peepers on all of your bullies; either before, after, or during the separation phase...or throughout. If none of that ultimately stops the bullying, then I'd get rid of the bullies.

 

[roguedesigns]

I'm having a similar issue with bullies and sudden bullying. My silkie needed considerable convincing that she is at the bottom of the pecking order (she objected to this for quite some time, so was beat on quite a bit by our dominant hen and her henchhen). We had to pull her out to heal up as she was getting pecked bloody fairly regularly. She had a pal (our RIR) that would sometimes protect her, and certainly never bothered her.

The silkie goes broody regularly, and after this last time, the other hens won't even let her out of the coop and into the run, including the RIR who I watched attack her repeatedly the other day which really surprised me.

If they can, they'll "lock her out" and not let her into the coop to sleep at night; and now she hardly touches the ground at all. I don't know how she's managing to eat or drink anything if we're not giving it to her directly (which only makes the other hens jealous).

Because it's not one bully, but ALL of them bullying her - what can I do? Would pinless peepers help? We got another chick that we thought would be a silkie so that she might have a buddy, but it looks like this chick is not going to be a silkie after all. She hasn't been introduced to the others yet btw.

I don't want to give up my little silkie, but this is no way for her to live! Advice is very welcome.

 

[roguedesigns]

Oh, I just noticed that RedDrgn mentioned trying pinless peepers. I'll give it a whirl and hope for the best!

 

[natemoore1986]

My outcast is still alive and acting/looking healthy, but she hasn't laid an egg in a week. In fact, my egg production for my flock of seven hens has dropped off to about three eggs per day. They have only been laying for a year. The drop off seems to have coincided with a predator attack (cat) that killed one of my BRs.

I tried reintroducing the outcast to the flock again recently, but she was immediately attacked. It's going to make it easy for me to butcher the two BSL and that one mean BR.