Chicken bald back

[mrsrobinson]

Hi.

I am new to hen keeping and 6 weeks into 5 ex battery hens.

 

Maggie has always been bottom of the pecking order. She didn't seem too bothered by it until 2 days ago. She now seems quite terrified of the others. She has been off colour I think - looked very very pale and always seemed starving. I have now wormed them all - had to have two goes as the first lot of wormer didn't deal with the tape worms! I think she looks better - a bit more colour coming to her face and comb. She is very bright and has worked out that if she puts herself to bed first and early she avoids getting pecked by everyone - she used to be

the last to go to bed. But she now won't come to the tea time feeding. She is getting plenty of food, I make sure of that but it is a shame to see the others all gobbling the food and Maggie not joining in. It was raining today and the others were all under the shelter and she was on her own under a bush.

Tonight I saw that she had hopped into the nesting area before the others went to bed but it was quite chilly and she looked wet from the rain, and when I closed the cube up a bit later there was another hen in with her

 

Is this just how it is or is there something I can do?

The hens free range all day and Maggie seems very happy digging and foraging but she is very watchful of the other hens and is not at all

confrontational. Any thoughts most welcome.

Elizabeth.

[Beantree]

Maggie is the bottom of the pecking order of the 5 ex-batts Mrsrobinson? Someone has to be there and usually they have an isolated life unfortunately and there is nothing you can do about it. We had one similar so we decided to move her into another flock. At that point she became the most vicious bully imaginable and terrorised all the others, so she was moved back and remains isolated and bullied. She has tried to make friends with some young Marans but then bullies them and they run away from her, so she is destined to be lonely it seems.

[mrsrobinson]

Hi Beantree and thanks for getting back to me.

You confirm what I thought that someone has to be bottom - it was Maggies change of behaviour that prompted my post. But if she was coping with a heavy worm load I guess she was desperate to get food and now that hopefully the worms are dealt with she is not that desperate. I do keep a close eye on them especially food and bedtime and she has more time not being picked on and seems happy free ranging.

Interesting about your hen being so aggressive.

[Grandmashazzie]

It is sad to watch isn't it. Just make sure you have at least 2 food and water points. I only have 10 hens but at one point had 5 food stations and even then when Elsa my bottom hen went to eat she was chased away. It does settle a bit, I suppose they accept their lot, a bit like my OH