[Feeb]

Pheonix my Welsummer is having a hard time of things right now - shes always being bullied by the other birds (but she is the second biggest of the lot so i dont know why she doesnt just defend herself) we called her Pheonix because she looks like a big hippy and now i can see how bad that is for her

she never pecks the other birds back, spends all day on her own wandering about and trying to avoid the other birds, she eats a bit but very sporadically while the others go mental at the feeders (we have two feeders, definatly enough space on them for the 6 birds

is there any reason why this is happening to Pheonix, is it because i am a bad mummy

And, more importantly, can i help this bird in anyway?  should i shut the others in the coop for a bit so she can have a decent feed or something

any advice greatly recieved

yours,

a very concerned Fi x

[joyfull]

My welsummer peggy lee is exactly the same, she is so timid and lets all of the other hens boss her around. However she is happy in her own way and seems to enjoy standing on the side just watching everything happen 

[Feeb]

yeah she doesnt seem too unhappy, just a big softy!  i thought it might be a breed thing... thanks Joyful i am glad shes not really unhappy all of the time

[Ice]

Can you post a video of this behaviour towards your hen?

[Feeb]

No i have no recording equipment unfortunatly

cor all very high tec round here arent you!

we are going to extend their run in a couple of weeks so they will have more space to play in, its all a work in progress hey!

Pheonix is the most gorgeous gentle chicken - i think if i were going to go for all the same breed in a flock i would definatly get Welsummers, she is just so gentle and nice

its a shame though because sometimes she cant settle down to eat, always seems to be jumping about... hopefully shes eating enough

[Ice]

I am very low tech, but most people these days have phones with the ability to video things.  Mine doesn't, it is a bit of an antique as far as mobiles go..

[Feeb]

yeah mine too - and when you are doing a visual arts degree its very hard to pick up a phone and use it to take a photo!  I will be getting a new camera soon though and i think it does video - which will be very exciting!

[lucylou]

hi ! my little wellsummer Donna, used to be sooo timid. When i first handled her she was terrified and i thought i had made a big mistake buying her. For the first few weeks i had her the others would steal her food and peck her to get her out of the way and she was too scared to come to the feeder to eat.  i was so worried i put a post up on here about her as she had hardly anything in her crop.  However now (2 months later) she is laying and eats& eats and is not at all timid like she used to be, infat i would say that she is 2nd in command in their little group now and she is the best looking