Why do they all pick on/peck at little, sweet Priscilla?

[MaryLovesChickens]

I have an 8-member flock of hens. Mixed breeds: 2 cochin mixes, 3 silkies, 2 RIRs, 1 non-bearded, laced Polish hen. I inherited this merged flock from three different homes/farms (long story, saved them, gave them a great home). Didn't quarantine them and learned how wrong that was from a previous post on BYC (ouch!). They've been together for a month now. Everyone seems very healthy, are growing big, eating well and lice-free (we check every few days)! They all get along well and are nearing approximately five months of age. Except for one of the Silkies: Priscilla. She is very small, compared to all the others. She's been pecked at and ostracized since I got her. She had an eye infection last week, which I treated very successfully with Tylan 50 (she's been in insolation ever since) and I will be letting her back into the flock in the next 24 to 48 hours (gave her three full days of clean and clear eyes to be sure not to have it spread to the flock).

From what I've been reading here on BYC, I'm going to have Priscilla bond with another chicken before letting her roam free with the others. I made a temporary pen for her (7'x8') right smack in the middle of the flock's hang-out and eating area next to their coop. I am going to put our other smaller, younger and sweet Silkie (Buffy) in with Priscilla but along with those two Silkies, I'm thinking about also putting in one of the three leader-of-the-flock hens (a buff, laced, polish hen named Donatella who does NOT ever peck at Priscilla)...my thinking is that Donatella will bond with BOTH smaller & younger Silkies to help them get better welcomed into the flock upon their release in...what do you think? Say a week or two weeks?

Please, please advise...you are all geniuses...

 

[basketballndl]

When my flock was younger, they would pick on my Plymouth Barred rock chick, Priscilla.(or 'P') At this time, they were only about 2 weeks old and still living in an industrial sized card board box. I seperated her from the others for about a week or so, and eventually they stopped. i think your doing the right thing by isolating her for the time being. and putting her in her own protected area for a while is good too. this will give the other chickens time to get used to her. My flock has all different sized chickens and the silkies have been picked on before. but they will learn how to deal with her.



Good Luck!!!


~Hannah

 

[MaryLovesChickens]

Thank you for your insight...what do you think about adding in one of the older, larger but nice flock leader hens (Donatella) to Priscilla's temporary pen?

 

[basketballndl]

If Dontella doesn't seem to have a problem with Priscilla, i say go for it. Because Priscilla is smaller, Dontella might have like a motherly thing going on.