Omlet cube and run

[Sageandonion]

We have 3 chickens. Pretty much from day one two of them have been inseparable - always side by side scratching about, dust bathing together etc. Luna the other one has always been a loner. She has had a bald bum for a month or so from feather pulling by the other two and now she has a bald patch on her front too. We have been spraying her with anti pecking spray and today I've sprayed the other two with water when I've seen them peck her.

 

I'm wondering if I should get one or two more chickens in the hope that Luna would have a friend. Has anyone else with 3 chickens had a situation where it seems to be two's company three's a crowd?

 

Is there anything else I can try to prevent this feather pulling/ pecking? I should say they haven't pecked her to the extent that they've drawn blood yet - thankfully.

[chicken bark]

It's not a problem I have had. One plan would be to get 3 more chickens and put Luna in with one of the new girls. That way you have 3 sets of 2 and so Luna should have a friend when they all mix in together again. Also the pecking order will get shaken up a bit.

Is Luna different to the others - a different colour etc? If so it may be worth getting another hen like her.

 

I'd keep on with the pecking spray and try to give them all as much space as possible.

 

Any excuse to get more hens in my book

[Sageandonion]

Thank you for your advice. All my 3 are different colours. I would like more hens at some point, especially if it would benefit Luna. Just wondering how much space 5 or 6 chickens would need. Our hen house takes 6 and the area it's on is about 16 foot by 9 foot. Would this be big enough? I don't really want them having access to the rest of the garden as it's bordering on Steptoe's yard as it is and my children play there at the moment.

 

Should I try isolating the main offender for a few days, I could split the run area in half, or would this be asking for trouble?

 

thanks again.

 

Edited to say - I need a smallholding!! In my dreams!

[chicken bark]

Isolating the main offender would be a good idea if you didn't want to add more girls at this point.

 

I think you'd have space for a couple more chickens though if you really wanted too but too many in that space may lead to other bullying issues.

 

I'd put your top hen in a dog crate for a few days (just like you would if she was broody). It won't be nice but it may bring her down a peg or two and let the other two girls bond.

[Sageandonion]

Just seen this Chickenbark - thanks. May resort to the dog crate at the weekend. Pardon my ignorance but would I need to put her in it 24/7 ?

[chicken bark]

Yes 24/7. I think the best idea would be a rabbit hutch or a dog crate sort of set up so she is safe and ideally can't be seen by the others. So effectively it will be like introducing a new hen when you let her back in with the others after a few days.

 

I should add I have not had to do this myself but I'm trying to think of advice I've read and what would be a logical course of action to take.

 

I hope it works and you can relax with 3 happy chickens like it should be.

[Chortle Chook]

I think the idea is to separate the main offender from the flock, totally, for a brief while and then when you re-introduce her she would come back in at a lower place in the pecking order. I've not had occasion to do this but I have read that it is one way of sorting a bully.

 

Whick colour is your picked on girly? Is it your Sussex girl or your black one? Somehow I presume it is not your little brown girl. You could get just one more of a similar colour to your picked on girly, put the two together away from the others but still visible by the others, and then introduce the two pairs to create a foursome. Just an idea

[Sageandonion]

Thank you both - it is the Light Sussex, predominantly being pecked by feisty knickers - Peckers by name and nature

[Chortle Chook]

If it was me I would get just one more Sussex. How about a buff Sussex? Similar breeds and colours seem to like one another - or at least that has been my experience.

 

I'd pop her in the coop with your current Sussex on arrival and put Peckers in the carry box on her own, so she is in a sin bin. Middle ranking chook could stay out in the run. Then at night I'd pop your middle ranking girl in with the Sussexes and would shut them all three up in the coop. Peckers I would then consign to the run with a small perch for the night (as it is not cold). Next morning I'd let Peckers out FR and would let the others have the run and coop. After an hour or so of morning run, Peckers goes back into her sin bin till she has another sorty in the afternoon etc. etc. basically keeping Peckers on her own for about a week. After that I would introduce her back in with your now, hopefully, happy threesome.

 

However others on this forum might well have another (more proffessional) way of dealling with things.