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Original poster

Chicken keeping Day 4 - Injured hen!!

17 replies

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 20:23

We have 3 hens, one of which is quite aggressive to the other 2; she keeps bullying one in particular. Today when I let them out of the run, the bullied one (called Baby) couldn't open her eye.

I think that if she has been pecked it will clear up in a few days, but what should we do about the meany hen? We are half considering taking her back and exchanging her

Does anyone have any advice, please?

OP posts:

bramblebooks · 17/03/2009 20:33

poor baby - have you got some purple iodine spray?

you need to separate the bully off where she can see the others and the others can do their stuff without her.

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 20:36

How long have you had them Washersaurus? Are they cooped or free ranging?
I have to admit, over the years I've always let them sort out the pecking order on their own. There has been some bullying to begin with but it has always died down. What breed are they?

Original poster

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 20:37

Umm no, it seems we are woefully unprepared for such incidents . I'm not sure how we can split them up; we only have the one house and run. They free range with the door to the run open during the day though, should I leave Mrs Bossypants in the run on her own and let the other 2 free range, or vice versa?

OP posts:

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 20:40

yeah.. try leaving her in the run tomorrow. Or take the lazy chicken keepers option and let them sort it out

Original poster

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 20:40

We have been keeping them in the run up until late morning and then letting them out to free range. Mrs Bossypants is deffo top of the pecking order (hence her name).

We have one Amber Star (Mrs Bossypants), a Speckledy (Beef), and a Bluebelle (Baby)....they were named by the DS' who are 3yo and 18mo btw

OP posts:

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 20:42

so they are new to you and new to each other?

Original poster

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 20:46

Yes, we only brought them home on Saturday! The other 2 hens are really close and friendly. The meany hen is the only one that lays eggs so far, probably because she won't let the others in the house when she is in there - and they have been sleeping in the nest box away from her.

OP posts:

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 21:09

Ah. Don't worry then, it'll settle down. Try not to separate the picked on hen, because when you reintroduce her, the bullying will be worse.

Original poster

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 21:16

Thanks for your help ingles. Initially we thought we would leave them to it; but Baby has started to hide down between the fence and the shed this afternoon.

Hmm, just not sure what to do, I could just put Baby and Beef out to free range tomorrow, but I am also a bit concerned that my blinkin' cat has been sniffing around a bit too close to Baby whilst she has been relaxing today...

I expected to do at least a full week before one of them got ill/injured BUT we have had 3 lovely eggs already!

OP posts:

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 21:23

no problem. How about letting bully out and keeping baby and beef in? But then I presume bully needs the nesting box?

Original poster

Washersaurus · 17/03/2009 21:30

We could do that, we have been keeping them all in the run until late morning, by which time Mrs Bossypants has layed her egg. Doing that might give the other two hens a chance to have a go in the nest box too.

OP posts:

ingles2 · 17/03/2009 21:51

I'd give that a go first then.
Good luck

thesockmonsterofdoom · 19/03/2009 08:28

I am having similar problems at the moment, of my 3 ex batts, the 2nd has just come into lay and they are now ganging up on the the 3rd and wont let her out of the house.
At the moment I have one of the bullies free ranging on her own so hopefully the others 2 will bond and it will upset the dynamics a bit.

Original poster

Washersaurus · 19/03/2009 11:43

At least it isn't unusual then.

We let the bully out to free range on her own yesterday, and today the bullied one seems perkier. It looks like she is trying to open her eye too, so I have let her and the other hen out together,leaving the bully in the run (which she doesn't seem all that pleased about).

The two 'nice' hens don't seem to be using the roosting bars, they are snuggling up together in the nesting box - how do we stop this? Is it a result of the bullying? Neither of them have started to lay yet either.

OP posts:

thesockmonsterofdoom · 19/03/2009 12:08

I dont think you can do a lot about the nesting box sleeping, some just do that. I have just fitted some bumper bits on the 2 bullies this morning and so far all seems to be going well. They look really complex but they were not that hard to fit. all 3 are now in the run and 3rd hen is not hiding in the house so fingers crossed all is sorted here. You can et bumper bits from the wernlas collection, I think you have to send them stamps or something.

Original poster

Washersaurus · 19/03/2009 12:26

Oh thank you, I have never heard of those before. It looks like we can get a similar thing from the Domestic Fowl Trust nearby, (which is where the hens came from). How long do they have to wear them for, not permanently?

OP posts:

thesockmonsterofdoom · 19/03/2009 12:36

I dont know tbh. I cant believe how peaceful everything looks out there now though, they dont seem too bothered by them and flo has worked out that they cant hurt her and stopped running around like a nervous thing.
It is definatley a 2 person job to put them on though, we wrapped them in a towle and I held them while the other lady opened their beaks.

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