Two hens are beating up on one hen. Help!

[Jade71]

I have five hens that I got three years ago all as chicks. Never any problems but three days ago two of my hens have started to relentlessly beat on one of my other hens. It has gotten so bad I have had to patch up her comb several times. They have drawn blood and the poor hen is petrified to walk around now, and just cowers in a corner in the coop. She does not go in the run anymore. The two bullies will not let her eat or drink. I dont understand it. They have more than enough room (30'x50' enclosed run) to roam around, I got six nesting boxes. They have space to dust bathe, they have roosts and logs. They have access to their feed and crushed oyser shells. They get daily snacks and treats. Right now I have her in my dog's crate just to keep her safe. But I cannot keep doing that. It is heartwrenching to hear her scream for mercy while she gets beat up on. She is so loud with her screams, the dogs in the neighborhood start barking.

Note: I have not changed anything to their daily ritual, no predators have gotten to their run or coop, no vermin, nothing. I am baffled.

What can I do to return peace to my coop?

 

[akelley]

I have not yet had a bullying oroblem in my flick, but the prevailing advice seems to be to remove the bullies for a few days. They will have to re-establish their place in the flock when you put them back, and this should distract them from their bullying behavior.

 

[aart]

Yep once the victim heals up, put the bullies in the crate...or partition off part of the coop as a hospital/jail.

 

[Jade71]

Ok. I will take the two bullies out of the flock for now. Should I keep those two
also seperate from eachother?

 

[Jade71]

Btw, is there a cause for this sudden behaviour? If so what is it so I can try to avoid it in the future? This really seemed to go beyond henpecking to establish a pecking order.

 

[Jan54]

I was having a problem like this also. We separated the bully but the problem now is that my other girls won't go inside to roost without her. Is there anything we can do to help them? The bully is an adoptee who just showed up in our yard last year but she has basically been a mother figure to the others.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Ok. I will take the two bullies out of the flock for now. Should I keep those two
also seperate from eachother?

It might be a good idea to keep them separate from each other as well so they don't start in on each other. It certainly won't hurt for them to have an extended time out! Hopefully they'll knock it off. I'd keep them out a good week. Don't know what would have caused them to start up, you certainly have a nice size yard for them. Has the bird they are picking on been broody by any chance? I know when I have a broody hen she sometimes gets picked on because she acts so different when she does get off the nest, they just seem irritated with her. Figuring them out can be pretty hard sometimes.

I was having a problem like this also. We separated the bully but the problem now is that my other girls won't go inside to roost without her. Is there anything we can do to help them? The bully is an adoptee who just showed up in our yard last year but she has basically been a mother figure to the others.

I would just put them in and close them in for the night, they'll get used to it.