[shez]

  Hi everyone hope you all survived the snow OK! i have a question i have 10 chickens for 3 years now and Izzy is the bottom of the pecking order, she's a sweet little thing  and i love her to death. but just recently all the other's are really beating her up they've torn her cone and every time i seem to catch them all taking turn having a go, now Izzy has always had a bad limp and in the cold weather it plays her up a bit so she cant get away from them as quick. If i go into the run which is 25ft x 25ft (so there not cramped) she runs over and stands between my feet she will only eat if I'm in there and when I'm not she hides up in the coop, please any advise? ps she is still laying everyday and she does not appear to be sick.

[Beano]

I'm no expert but have seen on here that you need to find out which one is the ring-leader and separate her from the flock. It is very upsetting to watch and hope you manage to stop it happening.
Good luck.

[8doubles]

Hens are very quick to see any weakness in other hens and the fact one has a limp makes her a target for the rest. Chicken have a mob mentality (like many humans) and just being different is a trigger for violence.
Is there any way you can separate her with a couple of the more placid hens during the day.

[Jeanette]

I would put a couple of buckets on the sides in the run with them so that she can escape in to  them if you cant seperate her from the others. I did this with mine and it helped

[too many girls]

be very careful, hens have been known to peck a less strong one to death, i would hate for that to happen to yours, she sounds sweet, i think you do need to seperate her with a couple of friendly pals, it's not fair to let her get picked on.