Chickens attacking other chickens?

Question

I have 4 chickens (hens) for egg laying and they wander around my garden free range.One of the ones I bought has no red bit on her head and she is getting battered by the other chickens. They pick on her so much, its heart breaking, but if I take her away she tries to go back to them. We have called her Cinderella and the other 3 the wicked stepmother and 2 ugly sisters, but will they stop attacking her? She goes down to submit, she sits by herself, but every 10 minutes or so, they go over and peck h**l out of her face and dont stop even when she submits. Will it stop? I know its a pecking order, but they seem to really hate her.

Thanks

Answer 1

If the other chickens sense there is something wrong with her they will never leave her alone I'm afraid, put her in a house and run on her own but place it right out of sight of the others or she will never settle,  she will always want to be with the other hens, but if away from them she will settle down, don't be tempted to get her a friend as the same might happen and you will be back at square 1.

Answer 2

Maybe  a period alarm may work,  let us say every 20 minutes, this may diistub everyone

Answer 3

animals have the ability to pick out difference in other animals

we have a hen that has a hurt leg and because of that the other hens and roosters exclude her and try to hurt her

maybe there is something wrong with the hen that you dont know about, it shouldnt be just cause of her color that they are doing that

Answer 4

Are all of the other chickens attacking? Or just one.

Is the one being bullied elderly or sick?

Answer 5

Well,

Most hens will do that. I recommend that you put her in her own cage for a week and then the next week put the othersin a cage. They should eventually get use to oneanother. All chickens do that because they are new.

If you got them all from the same place and they got along befor that than there is an issue.

But try the putting the others in a cage for a week and letting her walk freely around than switch themaround. If that doesnt work, than you should try to find it a home or get a rooster.

Did yhey all coem from the same place in the same area? If the one wasnt with them befor hen you got them that could be why. Give it time and watch them. You may neeed to split the garden and get the one who is picked on a submissive friend/ Ususally you can get a roo and they will plit up the fight sometimes

Answer 6

I also have four chickens and they all come from the same place. The little white one(called fluffy) was not well and the others really picked on her and every time we put treats down I would throw the others their treats and try to hand feed Fluffy. She would take a little bit but when the others came near she would run away. this has been going on for a few months now but Fluffy is getting stronger and better each day and she is now getting the treats (although not as much) and trying to run away with them so I just presumed that although she is last in the pecking order she was quite poorly but is now getting better, Hope this doesn't last long with your "Cinderella" (lovely name).x

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Answer 7

You are right about pecking order. The other advice here is quite good but you might want to ask your question at www.backyardchickens.com. I have found it to be a world of information.

Answer 8

Just a small chance it might be a visual thing.

Try marking her head with merthiolate or something to give her a red crest.

Not too much hope, as they may have already formed the habit of picking on her, but worth a shot.

Answer 9

that depends if the chicken is sick. sorry.