[Mrs S]

SORRY THIS IS LIKE 'WAR AND PEACE' BUT I NEED TO SET THE SCENE!

I've had 3 Ex-bats for a fortnight now. One of them, Agatha, has always stood out as being quite unfriendly. She moves away from me and goes to peck me if I try to pick her up,  where as the others will come to me quite happily.

A couple of days ago I went down to the run to find a pile of feathers there.  The hen they belonged to, Nancy, apart from looking white (not brown), seemed OK. I spoke to a careline advisor who said that Nancy was being bullied and I should withdraw the bully. I hadn't witnessed any bullying as such, just the occasional and expected peck or two, but certainly nothing to be concerned about. I have assumed therefore that if there is a bully in the house, then it's Agatha, and following the advice given to me, I seperated her (a dog cage next to the run where they can all still see each other).

On the first night I put her back in the hen house, and in the morning I found a mass of feathers again so I put her back in the dog cage. I rang the careline number again who said that they shouldn't lose feathers and she is being bullied, therefore needs to be seperated at night as well.

Last night I put her in the shed but when I took out her food bowl before doing so, she flew at me like a hen possessed! I'm sure I'm doing more harm than good! Anyway, I've had a good look at Nancy, and I'm convinced she's moulting. The feathers are just dropping off her and she seems to have 'spiky' skin.  I could have stuffed a pillow in the 5 minutes she was on my lap. This afternoon then, I put Agatha back in the run with the rest, but my problem now is that she IS pecking at poor Nancy! This seperation (albeit 2 days) hasn't done anyone any good! If anything it's just intensified her angst.

I'd really appreciate some advice thank you.

[dizzylizzie]

The stress of the rescue and the new surroundings do cause a moult! mine lost what few feathers they had.There will be pecking and fighting, they didnt know each other before coming to you and they have a pecking order to sort out . I would expect you to have least have witnessed the bulling, or to find feathers in the birds beak, or specks of blood. If she were my bird, i would put them back together, but watch them carefully.Also, some people find things life lifeguard tonic or poultry spice good for helping them through illness/stress or moults, maybe look at including something of this nature in their diet if your not already Just thinking about your 'unfriendly girl', maybe she is scared and overwhelmed by everything, im sure she will come around with a bit of meal worm bribery. Also as you now know the other girl wasnt causing the feather loss as she lost feathers when they wernt together, just bear with the pecking. Try not to get involved unless it gets really nasty, they should sort it out themselves, but if it becomes a major problem you can get beak bits from the wildfowl trust very cheaply!

[Mrs S]

Thanks for your advice. I have just had to put Agatha back in her cage because aftr only 10 mins with the others she has drawn blood on Daphne's crop! She's turned into a monster. She's no longer wary of me, and even when I've been stood with them for the last 15 mins she's been attacking the other to. I didn't want to intervene realy, but as she's drawn blood, I'm not sure I had any choice. I'll try her again in a couple of days - th problm is I'm not here tomorrow to keep an eye on them. I've bought some poultry spice thanks, and I shall look at the beak clips, though I don't fancy getting that close to her!

[dizzylizzie]

Ok, do you have purple spray? This is a link to somewhere that sells it, you can get it from lots of pet places
http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Gentian_Violet_Spray.html. This acts as a disinfection, and mask's the red from injuries. This is important as chickens are drawn to red!. The beak bits, ive never used them, but they fit on the beak, low the bird to feed and drink, but not pull at feathers. One way to stop a bully is to remove her from the flock. This alters her position in the flock, and helps to stop the behaviour. You will need to remove her for about a week though. Everytime you remove her , then put her back, the fighting to establish a peking order will start all over again so try to minimise how many times you re-introduce her. Sorting out the pecking order s normal within the flock It can take up to a month, and it can get nasty, Lots of people try and stop it because its upsetting to watch, feathers are pulled noises are made, combs will be pulled and blood will probably be drawn. Lots of people just kind of stand by with the purple spray!
What have they got to occupy them, sometimes you can distract them with things like logs, places to dig, tip a bag of wood chips in there, or an old plantpot with soil in, they will spend hours sorting it and levelling it. Chickens are curious little things, give them something to take their minds off each other. Hope it works

[Mrs S]

Thanks. I was looking at the spray today so I will get some. I understand how the spray works, but I'm thinking I need to address the bully's problem - it's not like she's going fpr red. She's literally going for any part of any hen that's near her!

I've isolated her next to the run where they can all see each other still (though some one on another site said they should be completely out of sight?) Should I leave her on her own at night as well?

[dizzylizzie]

The purple spray will stop them making an exsisting wound worse by pecking at the red ;We had a bully when we first got our hens and i didnt isolate her, so i cant answer your question as to what to do at night. As they just sleep at night and are generally very docile when sleepy i would have thought it would be ok, but im suer someone with more experiance of seperating them will be along shortly

[Mrs S]

Thanks for all your advice. I've ordered the purple spray which I shall try and the anti-pecking rings (though I hope to not have to resort to these - they only cost £1 a pack so may as well have them in). I think I'll keep her separate tonight and I'll see what anyone suggests tomorrow!