What should I do with this chicken?!

[ForeverFree]

I have a Rhode Island Red, her name is Miracle.
She has no tail, it is constantly being pecked off.
She is very shy and timid, and won't rush to get any food at all, and that scares me.
I've been trying to give her some greens and some pieces of watermelon, but she doesn't eat much.
She's always the one in the back when the other 11 chickens are rushing up to get their treats.
I've heard that I should rehome her, but I'm scared.
I don't want any other chickens to treat her as badly as mine do.
Should I just keep her and try to keep the chickens occupied so they don't pick it off?
Or, should I rehome her? And if so, should I sell her or give her to a local farm?
Culling isn't an option.

 

[M.sue]

My daughter's trainer had a chicken that the others ostracized. She only had 4 but those other 3 were mean & selfish. The ostracized one was named Rosie The RIR. The owner kept her seperate from the others because she too was afraid if she rehomed her, she would be treated just as bad if not worse. So, Rosie got a seperate little dwelling in the barn right next to the tack room. She became the queen of the barn. She'd sit on bales of hay with the student riders and watch lessons, she'd get picked up and cuddled daily, snacks were always available if she wanted them and she got to mingle and participate in all the barn activities. So just find a nice little spot for her. You'll be happy and so will she!!!

 

[ForeverFree]

M.sue :

My daughter's trainer had a chicken that the others ostracized. She only had 4 but those other 3 were mean & selfish. The ostracized one was named Rosie The RIR. The owner kept her seperate from the others because she too was afraid if she rehomed her, she would be treated just as bad if not worse. So, Rosie got a seperate little dwelling in the barn right next to the tack room. She became the queen of the barn. She'd sit on bales of hay with the student riders and watch lessons, she'd get picked up and cuddled daily, snacks were always available if she wanted them and she got to mingle and participate in all the barn activities. So just find a nice little spot for her. You'll be happy and so will she!!!

Great idea! Thank you!​

 

[Mrs. K]

If you really know your chickens, pick a middle of the pecking order chicken and pen her up alone for a day or two, then add the picked on chicken to her. Leave the pair isolated for a couple of days, til they are fast friends. Then go back to your flock, and pick out the meanest bully. At night, swap in the new pair of friends, and out the bully again for a few days. Then add the bully back.

This will reset your pecking order. And many have had great success with it.

MrsK

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Is she docile? Can you pick her up?

My BO gets picked on my my EE. So I pick her up and take her out of the run and give her special treats like meal worms or sunflower seeds. But all alone so she can eat without fear. This has really helped. And she's less fearful now cuz she knows I'm going to feed her special.

I also have a spray bottle with water and I'll spray the EE if I catch her pecking at her. But that's easier to do cuz it's just the one doing the pecking. If they are all doing it, that's tougher.

 

[jjthink]

Thank you. Thank you for caring about her, for wanting her to be safe, for wanting her to be happy.

JJ

 

[7L Farm]

I have 10 red hens & 1 rescued Dominique hen & a red roo. The Dominique was a real struggle to integrate into the flock. She is accepted but they still pick on her so she misses out on some treats. But I usually find her alone & tighten her up on some treats. She's the underdog so she's my favorite. I would never get rid of her. She seems happy & lays eggs regularly.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Quote:
Here is what I did with my little one who had a similar problem:


I got one of those big, collapsable dog cages -- the kind made of wire.


I took the problem child out and one other bird and put them together with plenty of food, water and treats. Unless she has blood or a bloody scab, she will probably be safe with one other bird, and they will learn to become friends. I used a sheet to cover their cage, except for the front, so that other birds would not try to attack the vulnerable one from outside of the cage.





Eventually you can merge the two of them back into the general population, but that will not happen too soon or the vulnerable girl will just be set up for attack again.


Better yet, can you take a few metal t posts and some chicken wire, and fence off a small part of your chicken yard to put the two birds in? Make sure they have a rain proof, shady place to escape bad weather though. I built my temporary rain/shade shelter out of a few bales of economy pine shavings and a piece of 3/4 inch thick plywood for the "roof".


You would be surprised how well a shelter made out of bales of pine shavings and a plywood roof will work out for a temporary chicken shelter. And best thing -- when you no longer need the shelter (after the birds are successfully merged into the Gen Pop), you can open the bales of pine shavings and use them in your henhouse as floor bedding, and just keep the plywood "roof" in case you need to build an emergency, temporary chicken shelter again for some reason...

 

[juliawitt]

Good posts about resetting the pecking order. I would definately pull out your RIR and place her with your nicest chicken. Segregate for several days together. Let them out, and put your biggest bully in next. This will reset the pecking order and it will work. As an addition to the previous post about the Dom....I LOVE my Doms. What sweet, sweet chickens. I have been a little dissappointed in their egg size but their disposition gets 4 stars. Even though my Doms (I have 4) are my sweetest, they are not as stupid as my Orps but my mean SLWs don't bother them (thank goodness). I highly suggest to everyone to get Doms if you are looking for pets with a utility.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I do like my Dominique I feel for her having to live with so many red chickens. But she's a survivor & my red roo takes special care for her. I have 26 red chickens & her poor thing.