I need advice on my chickens ganging up on another chicken

[nakactress]

I have 4 chickens who are about 1.5 years old and I have 5 chicks who are getting close to laying age.
All 9 of them have seen each other all summer and I finally put them together last week. My older chickens still terrorize the younger ones but each day they mingle more and more.

Well the day before yesterday I noticed my young leghorn had a serious pecking wound on her back. The other chickens were going after the wound every chance they got. I brought her in, wash her up and put neosporin(sp) and kept her inside in a box. This morning the blood was gone and I felt it was safe to put her back with the other chickens.

Holy COW!! All other 8 chickens started attacking her. They pecked everywhere and drew blood on her head. I don't know what to do?
Right now she's hanging out on my back porch. Not wandering, just hanging out. I got her some food and water out there and gave her a treat of raw egg.

She's my favorite chicken. I was told she was a leghorn but her personality doesn't fit and she's not like my older leghorn. She looks like a leghorn and is quick and skittish at times but she is super friendly and loves to be on my shoulder.

I don't know what to do with her. I tried again this afternoon to put her back but again she was attacked by all the others.

Interesting how today my younger chickens are side by side and seem on good terms with my older chickens. It seemed to have happened once they started to gang up.


ETA: They have more then enough room and run. We often let them roam our yard too. The space they are in can fit a good 15-20 chickens

 

[Hen Daddy]

From what I have read on here its best to keep her away from the others. If she is smaller than the others best bet is to keep her seperate until she is as big as the others.
If that doesnt work then she will probably have to be kept away from the others probably on a permanent basis.
If it was one hen/rooster being a bully then you could seperate the agressive one. Doesnt look like thats the case here.
I am certainly not an expert and maybe someone might have a better idea.

 

[nakactress]

She's actually about the same size as the others and we don't have any roosters. I'm thinking I have to figure some temp area next to the coop until they decide to get along. It makes me a bit sad to see ALL of them do this to her.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I'd get some Blue Kote spray & put that onto her back. In addition, I'd keep her separated for at least a few weeks until it heals up. The others will see that wound & go for it every time, otherwise. How big of a run do they have? Maybe you've got too many chickens in too small of a space?

 

[debilorrah]

It's unfortunate that our lovely ladies have such instincts. If they don't like her they will probably pick on her forever. Poor birdie! Make her your pet, she's probably up to the job.

 

[Southernbelle]

I had this happen and we have a happy ending.

I had introduced my 6 3-month-old EEs to the pen with my 4 adult hens. My RIR ripped one of my EEs from the top of her head to the base of her neck, I thought sure she was going to die. I moved all the EEs out. Then, I treated her wound and put her in a dog crate right next to the other chickens. She healed beautifully and even grew most of her feathers back. It took about 6 weeks, but I didn't want to put her back in the pen until the scab had fallen off, I didn't want a repeat attack. All that time, she was within sight of her hatchmates. Then I moved her into the pen, still in her crate. After a few more days, I opened the door and she mingled with the other chickens like she'd never left.

I kept the adults hen in a different pen. Well, I rehomed 2 of them and didn't want to maintain a separate pen for 2 hens, so I tossed them in with the young ones (including the RIR that savaged her). Now the young ones are 5 months and bigger and I have a big rooster in the pen and he keeps the peace. He breaks up any sqabbles among the girls.

In your case, I'd keep her separate until she was completely healed, but keep her in sight of her mates, so they don't forget her while she heals. Are you allowed to keep a rooster? Mine does a great job keeping the girls from picking on each other and he watches out for predators and everything.

 

[myvwpt1]

I have four female hens 2 years old who up to three weeks ago where always together. The one who was the most aggressive became sick and was isolated for about two weeks. At one point we put her create out where the other hens could see her.
We put her back one night, but it was strange as my hens most nights roots above ground, that night thay where on the ground as if waiting for her. All seemed to go well, next day seemed normal. yesterday all that changed, one of the hens was pushing her around not letting her eat/ drink, pushing the reentered into a corner and pecking at her and pulling feathers.
I have removed her and placed her back into the create and put her where the others can see her and her them.
But this cannot remain as it is. so, what do I do. Thay have plenty of room to run. there coop is clean, and I feed and clean the coop around the same time every day. Please help! this is only my second year at raising chickens and the first we have had problems

 

[Rowetta]

I have 4 chickens who are about 1.5 years old and I have 5 chicks who are getting close to laying age.
All 9 of them have seen each other all summer and I finally put them together last week. My older chickens still terrorize the younger ones but each day they mingle more and more.

Well the day before yesterday I noticed my young leghorn had a serious pecking wound on her back. The other chickens were going after the wound every chance they got. I brought her in, wash her up and put neosporin(sp) and kept her inside in a box. This morning the blood was gone and I felt it was safe to put her back with the other chickens.

Holy COW!! All other 8 chickens started attacking her. They pecked everywhere and drew blood on her head. I don't know what to do?
Right now she's hanging out on my back porch. Not wandering, just hanging out. I got her some food and water out there and gave her a treat of raw egg.

She's my favorite chicken. I was told she was a leghorn but her personality doesn't fit and she's not like my older leghorn. She looks like a leghorn and is quick and skittish at times but she is super friendly and loves to be on my shoulder.

I don't know what to do with her. I tried again this afternoon to put her back but again she was attacked by all the others.

Interesting how today my younger chickens are side by side and seem on good terms with my older chickens. It seemed to have happened once they started to gang up.


ETA: They have more then enough room and run. We often let them roam our yard too. The space they are in can fit a good 15-20 chickens

Remove her. If possible, have her a run and coop next to the others, and try letting her out once she has her feathers completely back. If it is not possible to put her safely with the others, then don’t. I have had very docile hens KILL other chickens when their pecking order got out of hand.

 

[myvwpt1]

Remove her. If possible, have her a run and coop next to the others, and try letting her out once she has her feathers completely back. If it is not possible to put her safely with the others, then don’t. I have had very docile hens KILL other chickens when their pecking order got out of hand.

Thank you, my husband suggested the same idea, but was unsure if it would be a good idea.

 

[Mrs. K]

Or remove the bully