[wannabesmallholder]

I’ve got a hen who is being seriously picked on. The others have managed to peck a massive hole in her neck and are stopping her from eating and drinking.

If I isolate her will they ever accept her back in again? Will another hen just become the bottom of the pecking order and become the bullied one if they don’t have her around? Don’t want to work through the whole of my flock like that!!

[chrismahon]

Another hen will now be at the bottom certainly, but whether she gets the same treatment is another matter. What you need to establish is the cause and boredom, lack of space, insufficient feeders/ drinkers and poor diet would be on top of my list.

[wannabesmallholder]

There are 8 of them free ranging over about a quarter of an acre, fed just on growers pellets (they are 14 weeks old), chick grit and water with apple cider vinegar. We do just have 1 feeder and drinker but I would have thought that’s enough for 8?

We currently have 2 cockerels and I suspect that might be a problem? I’ve seen at least one of the cockerels go for her this morning. I thought cockerels were supposed to keep a flock calm? We were planning to cull at least one of them (we hatched them so they’ve only recently become apparent) but should I get rid of both of them?

[docsal]

Even with my wee group of 5 hens I always have 2 feeding stations available, especially first thing. I use one proper feeder and sprinkle some feed on the ground a wee distance away. At least the morning feeding frenzy is dissipated. That might help.
I have had a bullying problem before and found Stockholm tar on wounds/bare skin solved the problem quite quickly. I also used 'bitter beak' fairly liberally on the surrounding area. I didn't need to separate them.
I was told that once blood is drawn, even 'non-bullies' will have a go.

[Bobie]

Hi, poor little chook.
Yes, once blood is drawn chickens get very aggressive and will keep pecking at the site, until they do eventually kill the bird. This is why bird drinkers and feeders are RED, as chickens are drawn to that colour and it encourages pecking!
I would deffo take the little one away until she is completely healed and then reintroduce her later on.
You will find that cockerels do go for the bottom of the pecking order and she may be his favourite, so he will keep chasing her, if that is the case, then Mr Cockerel has to go or the little hen.
I have 2 boys in with my girls, so I got another 5 hens, to even out "snuggle time" haha

[chrismahon]

Sounds more like the result of botched treading/ mating. At 14 weeks I'd expect the cockerels to start fighting and injure each other soon. I wouldn't want a clumsy cockerel injuring hens so my suggestion would be remove that one cockerel now.


We generally have one feeder and drinker to three hens or even less, which we have found necessary as when they start laying they start defending their food supply. So perhaps you need at least two or potentially three.

[wannabesmallholder]

Ok thanks all - really helpful.
She is now isolated and we’ll see how we go.
The problem is I don’t know which cockerel is the problem and I was hoping to keep one. Maybe I’ll have to get rid of them both.

[Terry T]

If you can, make sure the isolated bird can be seen by the others. This will make reintroduction easier.
We found that having a cockerel in with our flock of 10 hens, resulted in more general bullying and agressive behaviour than our pre cockerel days and this continued once he’d been removed until winter - it then subsided. There alway seems to be a bit more trouble in spring.

[Bionic]

I had the same issue last year. It didn't finish well I'm afraid. I took her away but she was still in sight and she pined so much for the others I put her back. Took her away again and exactly the same. She wasn't happy with them but seemed worse without them. In the end she was in a bad way so I culled her :-(