Why are they picking on hennie??

[tamsteve143]

Hello I have 6 hens, all over 2 yrs old and raised together, never had any issues with them always had the same pecking order status and all got along good. Saturday I went out like I usually do to do my chicken chores, and wheezer, the top hen jumped on hennie, almost as if she were mating with her. I stopped it because she was pecking her head pretty bad and i picked hennie up and put some blue kote on her and put her back with the others. Later that day I went out and couldn't find Hennie, finally she came out the doghouse and had feathers missing on her head and her crown was bleeding a little so i seperated her for the night, got her cleaned up. Next day we put her back out there and they all acted as if they didn't know her, one of the other RIR tried jumping on her but hennie put her in her place. My sweet sex link, buttercup, who is the lowest on the pecking order jumped on hennie yesterday, they were going at eachothers crowns, i stopped it when I saw hennie's crown was bleeding a little but then hennie ran in the dog house again. Now she stays in the coop in the nesting box, terriefied i guess...she won't even roost at night with the others and when she does sneak out she hides in the dog house....it's so sad to see my friendly flock not so friendly anymore. I feel bad for hennie because she is alone and so nervous. Hennie was always 3rd on the pecking order so it's odd that it's changing after 2 yrs...any advice?? I know I shouldn't interfere and let it takes it's course but I hate them fighting and hennie don't even get up to eat unless i bring it to her.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Is Hennie molting? Sick? Anything else worth mentioning?

 

[tamsteve143]

Yes I do believe she is molting some, not a hard molt. All of them except buttercup has molted. She also has been having issues when she was laying her eggs were so thin they would break...but she's not laying anymore, I only have one laying right now and that's buttercup.

 

[Folly's place]

Hennie has a problem of some sort, and the other birds know it! Look hard, at night with a flashlight, for any mites or lice, anywhere on anyone. That's easy to fix.
Is she thinner than normal, or has a big crop when it should be small?
Most internal problems that birds develop can't be fixed easily, if at all, but look for the simple things.
If you can set up a separate but in the coop area space for her, so she's still visible but protected, that would be best for now.
Chickens will act like velociraptors at times!
Mary

 

[chickens really]

What's the protein content of the feed they are on?...Molting and imbalanced nutrition comes to mind..

 

[tamsteve143]

What's the protein content of the feed they are on?...Molting and imbalanced nutrition comes to mind..

right now they are all eating feather fixer because of molting.

 

[tamsteve143]

Hennie has a problem of some sort, and the other birds know it! Look hard, at night with a flashlight, for any mites or lice, anywhere on anyone. That's easy to fix.
Is she thinner than normal, or has a big crop when it should be small?
Most internal problems that birds develop can't be fixed easily, if at all, but look for the simple things.
If you can set up a separate but in the coop area space for her, so she's still visible but protected, that would be best for now.
Chickens will act like velociraptors at times!
Mary

No mites have checked and didn't see any. I was thinking she was molting and going broody but I really think she's staying in the nesting box because she's scared.

 

[Mrs. K]

You have a lot of tension in the flock. It really takes the enjoyment out of chickens, and I don't think it is good for chickens either. When you pulled the victim, did the tension decrease? Is there one bird that is the main bully. If you pull that one, will the vicitim fit in better?

I would not be terribly surprised if your victim bird died shortly. Chickens sometimes can pick up on it before people do, and are driving her off. A flock protection behavior. But it could be something else. I always solve for the peace of the flock. That sometimes mean removing a bird that does not fit with the flock.

Mrs K

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Whether we remove an aggressor hen or a target hen the flock normally needs to start all over to sort out the pecking order. Hens and roosters have incredible eyesight. They see in light spectrums that we humans only hear or dream about. Poultry scientist think that hens can see or gauge the health of their fellow flock members from the shine of their feathers. Remember that chickens don't handle weakness in fellow flock members. The simple fact that buttercup is no longer the lowest ranking hen speaks volumes.

 

[tamsteve143]

Yeah it's just so sad, I hate getting so attached to them but they are our pets also. She stayed in the nesting box all day yesterday she did eat some food and drink out of my hand but still wouldn't come out...this morning I see one of the chickens went inside the coop must have spooked her and she came running out like a bat at of hell and ran in the big run, she is out there by herself cause it's raining and the others are under the coop. Some say it's better to leave it alone and let them resolve the issues but I can't watch her get hurt. When i go in there she is all over me hiding from them, knowing it's safe with me out there. I guess this will be a taste of me getting two more new hens soon...we want to add to our flock but sure hope it's not this bad LOL....