Very bad bullying!!!

[captainmommy3]

OK, so one of my chickens is being VERY bullied I don't know what to do. She is black so where they have pecked lots of her feathers and left scabs I cleaned and covered with bulekote. The bluekote does not seem to deture them any. She is one of 3 younger girls I added to the flock I only have 6 ....3 older and 3 younger but all are full grown. Her brooder mates don't bother her but the older ones single her out they pecked at all the younger girls combs when they started laying but I took care of all of it and it seemed to stop and now this one has lost Many feathers on her hind quarters and she has some bruises and scabs from being pecked...she is in otherwise good health but I don't know when or if it will end and I feel soooo bad for her because she is so sweet and gentle.

 

[teach1rusl]

Is it mostly happening at roosting time, or during the day when they're out and about too?? If it's during roosting time, is there room in the coop to add another roost, apart from the main roost?
Also, make sure there are more than one feeder/waterer available, set apart.
Add roosts, stumps, large branches, etc. to your run so that if she's being picked on, she has places to escape to.
Do you know whether it's one hen doing most of the bullying or all three??? If it's one doing the majority of the nastiness, do a search on "bully busting." There's lots of info on BYC about containing a bully to (hopefully) break their habit.
I feel badly for your poor girl...

 

[CinnamonQueen]

Keep her away from older flock members, let her heal, then try to re-introduce her. There is an article on adding new birds to your flock, look at that. If it gets really bad then you may have to take out the meaner girls for a few days. They will be lower in the pecking order and will probably not bully as much b/c they don't have the authority to. Good luck.

 

[captainmommy3]

I do believe its just one I have caught her once. But she will never do it while I'm in there....its happening during the day...they have plenty of room plus some elevated stands to perch on I also have 2 waterers far away from each other and one food inside coop and one outside so if she is hiding she can still eat. just makes me sad.

 

[captainmommy3]

I did the things to introduce new birds. I have even had the younger ones in the new coop I built for like 2 mons before we added any of the older ones and they were in the look but don't touch position for that 2 Mons. The older girla trompped in and took over like they owned the place. They have been in The same coop for a good 6 or 7 Mons. This is not a new addition problem it is a recently arisen problem that pretty much came out of the blue.

 

[teach1rusl]

If you have a decent sized dog crate, I might try isolating the hen you think is doing the bullying...maybe for a week. See if the young pullet/hen fits in better. This also MAY knock the bully down a few pegs. Do you know if the bully is the lead hen, or 2nd in command?