Chicken bald back

[gavclojak]

I my heart is breaking when I see my poor bullies girl desperately trying to get in with the bullies.

I put the baddies in the sin bin and left solo in with the two good girls only to come home today to find they had attacked her and made her bleed.

If your interested please read the thread...chicken attack please help.

 

My question is, where do I go now? I can't leave her on her own as she is clearly unhappy, she was flying against the fence to try to go to bed with them today, feel so bad for her,

Will bumpa bits work? When do I try the reintroduction ? And will they accept her back? Can't believe the good girls attacked her.

Should I find a better home for her?

[Patricia W]

Try bumpa bits but have plan b in place too.

[Luvachicken]

Could you put Solo in with just one friend ?

Then she wouldn't be lonely and she might stand a better chance in a one on one situation.

I hope you get things sorted soon xx

[gavclojak]

I am waiting to see if the vet will fit bumpa bits for me, don't think I can do it, I am out of options for a plan B except hope BHWT can rehome her. Really don't want her to go but she is sad while alone and don't want to get her a friend and that doesn't work out as I don't know where I will go then. And I don't really want two separate groups to be honest!

I cant take one from the group of four left as they have all had a peck at her so don't trust them

Poor girl!

Edited November 14, 2013 by Guest

[Luvachicken]

I meant one of the girls you have already.

One of them is probably nicer and more gentle ?

[gavclojak]

Thanks for your reply, I thought about that today, I will try tomorrow when her wounds have healed a little, what I am worried about is causing more upset within the ranks...the four are clearly a tight little group and she has always been on the peripheral so don't want to make makers worse!!!! What a conundrum

[Luvachicken]

I know what you mean.

Mine were definitley split into 2 groups - 4 and 2 - and it was the 2 that caused all the damage.

Weird thing is that they all got on in the beginning, until Spring came

 

Maybe tomorrow, if she is in with a quieter girl, things might calm down, but if things remain the same then sadly it does look like she will have to be rehomed. Hopefully things will get calmer and then after a while you can look at putting them back together.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I sympathise, my little Layla is attacked if she is ever on the ground with the other 4 . She lives up high in the WIR permanently unless I let her out into a little fenced off area outside. Does your setup allow your bullied girl to escape the bullies?

 

Mine all get on fine at bedtime but Layla is often on her own . She doesn't seem too unhappy and doesn't get injured so I'm just leaving it like that.

 

Hope you manage to sort something out. It's very upsetting, isn't it .

[gavclojak]

Thank you both so much for your kind replies, my set up is great, even if I do day so! They have 35 square foot of swing, tyre, logs to perch on, plants to peck at, mirrors, CD's hanging corn....and still problems, Really don't want to have to buy another coup, am hiring one for a month and decisions will have to be made in that time.

They actively chase her and have cornered her to attack not just the odd peck! And bless her, both sides of the wings were bleeding today as they were last week

[Chickabee]

I had the same problem. It seemed to be one bully that started it off and the others would join in. I got a second hand eglu and put her in there with my calmest girl. They got along just fine. She's now back in the big group as the baddy sadly died. if you live anywhere near Brentwood in Essex, I might be able to help. Send me a pm if you like Sonya

[Chortle Chook]

It's vital to keep any red from showing so don't put her with anyone if she has any blood or open wounds on her. When she is all healed up, apparently, the trick is to separate your top hen / the bully leader and make her be on her own for a few weeks, to take her down a peg or two. Too often people put the bullied chicken on her own which moves her even lower in the pecking order.

 

In your situation I think I'd be inclined to take first one from your main flock, and put her with your bullied girly, then add another and so on until the one who is left on her own is top nasty chook.

[redsunset]

Aw, sorry to read this but I totally understand if you are afraid it may happen over and over again. If you do find a good home for her then I guess it would be nice or her to potter about and chooks do not have the memories we do (as in sad to leave home) and settle in a new place very fast. I know that from the last lots I have had, as within a few days, maybe a wk they were part of the large gang and knew my routine. Some of mine came from a local person and my last three from 200 miles away and now you'd think they had been born here now, so don't have any misgivings re the re-homing bit if needed. Hope you find a good solution...

[gavclojak]

I feel so bad that I have let her down , I hate to see her so unhappy but also worry if I regime her she will be picked on again, it's so sad. She just wafts to be part of the gang but they are so mean to her I can't even look at them at the moment.((

[redsunset]

Worst part is you will never find out what triggered it off. Chickens can be cruel as an old lady told me once. Yep I get that you would almost rehome the bullies and get lots of gentle ladies in. Chooks don't work like that, and the new gentle ladies may very well turn on her too. Chooks are a strange lot and hard to understand in the pecking order of things, way beyond our comprehension at times. They are doing what nature tells them to do for some reason unknown to us. If you find a good home for her, she will be very happy and content I bet.....

[paulad]

I would try bumpas before i rehomed for sure.

 

They r really easy to fit. I held hen and hubby did the bit (cos im a wimp and did the easy bit )

 

It really knocked the stuffing out of our bully.... Give it abit more time xx

[redsunset]

Never the less I am sorry as I'd be equally gutted in your situation as all my chooks are special in their own way, yes even with 32 of the little critters. ok, I may have a fav few wee ones in that bunch but still.........this week a downer, next month will be better, whatever you decide to do.

[redsunset]

Maybe paulad has the answer before you throw the towel in yet?

[paulad]

All i know is we have had problem after problem since we got our lot in june but we have got thru each problem and learnt a bit more, it hasnt been easy and it hasnt been quick. if there is really no other way then u must rehome but try every option first x we r all behind u

[jimnpaula]

Gavclojak where do you live? Maybe some nearby forum members can help with putting on the bumpa bits.

 

P

[gavclojak]

Gee thank you guys you are all amazing, paulad, I will try everything I can and will fight tooth and nail to keep her. Redsunset, thanks your lovely and your kind words are a comfort,

I live in Bromley if anyone can help with the bumpa bits.

 

I have had two kind offers of homes for her so that has at least taken the pressure off, I know there are options should everything else fail,

 

Wouldn't it be great if there were an omlet coffee club where we could all meet:)) xxx

 

Thanks again guys, can't tell you how glad I am I joined this forum xx

[jimnpaula]

You're not that far from me! I have bumpa bits but not the circlip pliers that I gather are useful.

 

P

[paulad]

bumpas really are alot easier than u think to fit. Honestly i was really worried about fitting them but it was fine.

 

i held the hen nice and tight with a towel wrapped round her. and hubby fitted it - we got some pliers and it was easy.

 

its one of those things that u think is gonna hurt them and be awful but it really wasnt....Its like when we first clipped their wings i thought it was going to be awful but was easy !!

 

check out some utube videos on it. i will try and find the link for the pliers too - we didnt buy onlet ones - too expensive !

[paulad]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321223035967?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

these were the bits we got

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141075026202?var=440181034380&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

these were the pliers (£1.99)

[gavclojak]

Amazing, once again paulad thanks, I am ordering them today, do you think they will help?? Gosh I hope so.... And jimnpaula, have you fitted them before? Did they work...

 

I tried to give them a few minutes together today while feeding treats but the two nicest girls were pecking her bare bottom:((( she is out having a bit of freerange Friday but then it's back to solitude for her....and the pacing up and down the fence....just chill hen solo!!!!!

[jimnpaula]

I've never used them, so I have 5 in a packet in the 'chicken box'. Hence why I don't have the pliers yet.

 

If you want I will bring my bits and get some pliers on the way up to you, I am free today. (I can clean the girls out tomorrow.)

 

Paula

 

Edit: Have pm'd you my mobile number