[neil9797]

We've recently realised that one of our girls is not moulting but being plucked bare! Spraying with Nettex has not helped one jot and now the poor luv has a bare and raw bot and has become quite withdrawn. We identified a particular culprit this evening and isolated the bully. What should we do now?! Do we isolate the bully or the victim? Will the bullying flare up at night when they are in the one coop? Help!

Other facts that may be relevant:
- flock = 3 Warrens and a Columbian Black-Tail
- Black-tail from last spring, warrens all from same batch last autumn
- Bully and victim are Warrens
- the bully is the only one with an undeveloped comb - we'd assumed she was at the bottom of the pecking order until now.

Thanks, N

[Casey76]

Hi Neil,

You are right to isolate the bully.  If you can keep here separate for a few weeks, in sight of the others, at least until the bullied hens feathers come through.  When you re introduce her back into the flock, she will have lost her place in the pecking order.

There may be a few scuffles as the pecking order is rearranged again, but it should stop the bullying.

[neil9797]

Thanks so much Casey. I also took a tip from elsewhere on the forum and fenced her off from the others in the roost for tonight.

- Do I need to keep her out of sight of the others or just partitioned?
- What might I do for a temporary roost/nest for her? Presumably, keeping in her in with the others, albeit fenced off, will not do the trick.

N

[jesschocolate28]

Just to let you know, this was a problem with my chickens, after introducing a new one into the flock, it was getting pecked to bits! but after about a week of us protecting it, and isolating the bulling chicken for about 5mins each time we caught it pecking, it wore off, and eventually completely stopped