Angry Birds!!

[Cryss]

I’ve had my flock going for 7+ years with the usual coming and going of old and me members as nature dictates. My coop and run are of a good size with 4sqft/bird+ in the coop, and 10sqft/bird+in the run. I’ve dealt with bullies before. Rosie is the bottom of the pecking order. Recently she’s been hiding in the coop. I was putting feed in the run, she came out to eat, and one of the hens absolutely flew to her, pinned her down, and began pecking viciously, definitely not pecking order behavior. It happened again later. I separated the bully but Rosie continues to hide. Meanwhile I’m noticing lots of pecking order activity that is more intense than usual. I can’t separate all of the higher-ups! I’ve never had this heightened pecking order activity before. But now my worst concern is for Rosie. She has found a way to hide behind a wall. She never comes out to eat or drink. I try to sneak a dish of feed to her in the coop (and I never allow feed inside!) but now she seems to avoid the dish. I think she’s afraid a hen will show up while she eats! I just don’t know how to kee her nutritionally sound, not to mention safe from such vicious attacks!
ANY advice is helpful and welcomed. This is so odd after all these years!

 

[FrostRanger]

Certainly is odd. First, I would do a health check on Rosie. The flock could be coming after her 'cause she's sick or injured. If she's in otherwise good health I would follow the method here to see if that helps https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ . If that fails, you will have to rehome her. Also, what's their diet like and how big are your coop and run in square feet and for how many birds?

 

[Cryss]

Certainly is odd. First, I would do a health check on Rosie. The flock could be coming after her 'cause she's sick or injured. If she's in otherwise good health I would follow the method here to see if that helps https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ . If that fails, you will have to rehome her. Also, what's their diet like and how big are your coop and run in square feet and for how many birds?

Certainly is odd. First, I would do a health check on Rosie. The flock could be coming after her 'cause she's sick or injured. If she's in otherwise good health I would follow the method here to see if that helps https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ . If that fails, you will have to rehome her. Also, what's their diet like and how big are your coop and run in square feet and for how many birds?

Other than suffering nutritionally now because of bullying, and of course molting, Rosie is healthy. They get flock raiser crumbles, veggie scraps and greens, a bit of meal worms n such in moderation, oyster shell 24/7/365, granite grit. As for coop size I did give that information already per bird in my post, but for clarity, I have 25 birds, coop is 100sqft, and run is a bit over 300sqft. Rosie is 5 years old so no, she’s not getting rehomed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How cluttered up is the run? And how many feeders do you usually have out? I assume Rosie is molting as well?

I go through some variation of this almost every fall (even with fewer birds and a larger run that's pretty heavily cluttered, and 5 feeders) simply because some birds get crankier when molting, some get a lot more sensitive and flighty, and as birds pass on and new chicks mature in the flock the pecking order shifts accordingly. My mid-molt EE is getting the worst of it right now but she's always been a very jumpy molter.

 

[Cryss]

Certainly is odd. First, I would do a health check on Rosie. The flock could be coming after her 'cause she's sick or injured. If she's in otherwise good health I would follow the method here to see if that helps https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ . If that fails, you will have to rehome her. Also, what's their diet like and how big are your coop and run in square feet and for how many birds?

I am currently trying the method from the link you sent. Thank you, I’ll try to update as it goes. I’m watching Rosie’s weight in my hands and making sure she has a full crop at night. Once she’s regained health and weight I’ll try letting her rejoin during the day.

 

[Cryss]

How cluttered up is the run? And how many feeders do you usually have out? I assume Rosie is molting as well?

I go through some variation of this almost every fall (even with fewer birds and a larger run that's pretty heavily cluttered, and 5 feeders) simply because some birds get crankier when molting, some get a lot more sensitive and flighty, and as birds pass on and new chicks mature in the flock the pecking order shifts accordingly. My mid-molt EE is getting the worst of it right now but she's always been a very jumpy molter.

Yes, they are all molting. I have various perches and such in the run but not overly crowded. There have been some recent losses and recent new pullets being introduced. I’m sure some of this factors in. But poor Rosie has been bottom hen for a long time. Hubby almost suggested she be a house chicken