Hen-pecked Hen

[artemis]

I have one silver laced Wyandotte that was being picked on, on the nether end.  I brought her indoors for a few days and she recovered nicely.  I put her back outdoors Friday morning with her compatriots (one rooster and 10 other hens/pullets).  

Today I noticed she'd been pecked again to the point of bleeding on her nether end. Bloody feathers.  

Suggestions?  

These birds came here the second week of May.  One rooster, the rest are female.  The roo from what I see is very solicitous of his ladies... he lets them get to the food before he does.  He is also a Wyandotte, as are two of the other females.  

I will probably bring her in again tomorrow morning if she is still being harassed. I don't want to cull her, but I might need to do so.  I can't be keeping her indoors all winter.

At any rate, when I kept her indoors the last time, no one else got picked upon.  So they don't need a bird to bully, and I don't know if they sense something is "wrong" with her, or not.  

?  Thanks for any help.  

[dawg53]

There are several possibilities: Your SLW might have lice or mites crawling around her rear end and the others might be pecking at them for a little snack.
Inspect her rear end for external parasites.

Are the others picking her feathers and eating them? This could be a sign of a nutritional deficiency, protein.
Give them gamebird feed for one month and then wean them off the gamebird feed back to layer feed.

If you cull her, there's the possibility that the bullies will go after the next lowest bird in the pecking order.
Dont cull her. Buy Nu-Stock at your feed store and put it liberally on the hens rear end. It'll be in the equine section. Make sure you wear disposable gloves when applying the Nu-Stock. Not only will it heal the injuries, it will deter picking and pecking. Once the bullies get a mouthful of that stuff, they wont be picking and pecking your hen no more.

[seminolewind]

I love (horse) wonder dust. Poof it on and it stops bleeding and is a disinfectant. My favorite surprise for nasty Hines pecks or poof pecks is Ickthammol. Black tarry sticky stuff that smells. It's for packing hooves or on people removing splinters. But it taste nasty enough especially when some but picker comes around and gets a mouth of tar! It's cheap, like $10, and schema it on her but nice and thick, lol. Don't worry it will also wear off.

[artemis]

Thanks!! I'll check for parasites when I am down there to clean out the coop right after lunch. I'll pick up the recommended meds, and even if she doesn't need them, if they make her nether end less appetizing, a good win here.

I'd kept her in the house for a good 5-6 days to heal up the first time, and no one else was picked on.

I know they are getting enough protein between the pricey organic layer feed and the mealworm snacks. I have no idea however if they are eating her feathers -- there seem to be plenty of feathers around without having to nab one still attached to a bird!


I appreciate, and will keep you posted...

[seminolewind]

Sometimes it's hard to figure out why they do it. I love ickthamol for feather pickers. I've had it happen with Polish.

[artemis]

Late here, but Tammy the pecked upon hen is now thriving what with a goodly dose of NuStock. No one else has gotten into trouble with whomever was the bully (or bullies), at least not yet.

She's still hesitant and shy, but to be expected, I think.