Solitary chicken - need advice

[betty]

Hi all

 

First weekend off in ages so went to let the hens out with a view to going back to bed with a coffee. Instead I find myself dragging the spare Eglu out of the shed - just as well I hadn't got round to selling it - putting it together, leaving Rose on her own inside. Sybil, Martha and Prudence are in the cube.

 

They all arrived just over a year ago and this is the first time I've noticed any signs of pecking or feather pulling; Martha seems to have escaped but both Sybil and Prudence now have bare scabby patches on the base of their backs. Both have been moulting and it seems Rose has developed a taste for the new feathers. Or could she have been at it for a while and I've assumed it was part of the moult? I haven't seen any evidence previously but she was still having a go this morning. Ukadex has been ordered, but is there anything else I can do in the meantime. I have bathed their backs in a tea tree solution and they seem happy enough in themselves.

 

I have read of others experiences with bullying and felt very relieved that in over three years of chicken keeping have not had to deal with anything similar until now. For such loveable creatures they really can be quite horrible.

 

Where would we be without this forum?

 

Now I'd better get dressed and see how things are at the bottom of the garden.

 

Liz

[gracefruit]

They can be little monsters, can't they?

 

Sorry Rose is giving the others grief, and I hope things calm down quickly.

[Egluntyne]

A week or 2 in the slammer might break the habit.

 

 

You could try her with a bumpa bit.

[pistachio]

I would follow Egluntine's advice and try the separation but order some bumpa bits in in case you need them. they are not really easy to fit but between bumpa bits and Ukadex you're going to stand your best chance of them getting along Going through the same with my 6 although there are a couple of peckers