[nicchick]

Hi, we picked up 4 hens yesterday. Three were quite well covered and a good size and one is bald front, back and bum. Yesterday was lovely so we put them in a run separated from our existing girls. Of course today started ok and they all came out and were eating, drinking and rosey well then it turned so cold and wet! The baldy one is a lot smaller than the others as well as having less feathers and she soon started to look really hunched up and ill. I brought her home into a large indoor rabbit cage and she perked up considerably. Now I know they like company and if you separate them it's harder to get them back in so I swapped one of the better hens with a mate (who also collected some hens yesterday) for a baldy one to keep her company, also to give the other hen a better chance as my mate is a bit harder than me on mollycoddling them. At first they were ok and pecking away then the first one got really nasty and wont stop picking on her. I eventually covered them over and left the radio on so they would go to sleep. My friend says separate them, but then I'm back to where I started! Sorry it's so long winded, but I don't want to give up they are both cracking little hens. Any advice or help would be great, Nic.

[upert]

i have had ex batts now for 6 months and they still peck at each other. one gets it worse than the rest. i've tried anti peck spray and sticking a jumper on one of them but neither worked. i think the chickens are programmed to peck at the red, raw exposed bits of another. i used to have two birds that were picked on but one of these seems fine now and has a lovely coat of feathers. i think when the other has the rest will leave it alone.

other than hen specs i say just try and keep them from being bored; hang us some fresh veg, that seems to keep them entertained for a bit.

[nicchick]

Thanks, this isn't just usual pecking but a full on attack. The other one squawks like she's being murdered! Mind you she has been handled so little that she does that even if I go near the water. I've stuck a cutdown babygro on the little one and it's a bit harder for BB2 (baldybum2) as she is almost exactly top half feathered and bottom half bare! She needs pantaloons...I'm hoping that when they wake up tomorrow they will have forgotten all about it. Decided to leave the radio on as they seem to find it calming - I'm a wreck. Nic.

[andreadon]

separate them with a chicken wire divider - so that they can see each other and "talk" but can't touch each other.
It's going to be hard and a long time, but when the feathers are back they'll be fine and you'll wonder how it was ever like that!

fingers crossed for you.

[upert]

haha i was going to put a babygro on mine! there's been some murderous attacks on mine but it's calmed down a lot yet you can tell one of them is still a bit of a wreck. i still may babygro it.

it's tough to see some picked on but reassure yourself that they have tiny brains and they'll be able to cope better than we would. if not get them counselling/put them on a course of prozac.

[nicchick]

I think I need prozac! They were all quiet this morning but the little one started again and has spent the morning almost dying one minute and then beating up the other one.
I've managed to divide the cage as it's quite big and I haven't got anything else with the headroom.  I also spoke to the rescue lady Jo and she suggested sugar water to get the little one eating and fingers crossed it seems to have perked her up. It's so wet and cold here, she thinks that she is just cold. I've put them by a heat lamp and taken her body warmer off. I'm supposed to be working, i'm going to be in big trouble! Nic