Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[johnandkymberley]

hi all, my chryssie is being put in the hospikal wing today as she is being picked on quite a bit

however will she get lonely? there is a hen i could put in with her that doesnt bully her, hospikal wing is an eglu classic 2m

thanks xxx

[Olly]

Is she injured? in that case I would keep her on her own till any wounds have healed. If she's not injured, then you need to sort out the bullying problem, you can't keep her on her own indefinitely.

[johnandkymberley]

Hi

She is getting her feathers plucked out by the others, anti pek has worked but not recently

 

Why can't you keep a hen on its own? I wouldn't do that but I'm curious why you can't

Thanks xxx

[Olly]

Hens are flock animals - they really need company, and usually do not thrive on their own. Short separations are ok, especially if a hen is poorly, but in the long term it's usually best for hens to have some company. I know there are a few people on here who've been left with a single hen, and don't want to get more for various reasons, and they will say that their hens are fine on their own, but Omlet and most reputable chicken breeders will not sell you a single hen, unless you have other hens to put it with.

 

I would be inclined to remove the bully hen for a bit, rather than the picked-on one. How bad is the pecking? It is very hard to eradicate altogether - you could try hanging up some distractions in the run, or as a last resort you could fit bumper bits. If you take this hen out of the pecking order (and I'm guessing she is bottom of the pile), it could be even harder to reintroduce her later.