# I need help



## marieromero307 (6 mo ago)

I have 5 chickens and a rooster and recently I noticed one of my chickens looked really bad had a lot of feathers missing on her back and her shoulders Is the best way I can describe it. So I separated her to let her heal and learned that she's on the bottom of the pecking order. So after a few days if her inside my house I tried to introduce her back and they all keep attacking her. Does anyone have any advice of how to reintroduce her and stop the other chickens from attacking her.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Your problem is the rooster, not the other hens. He's mounting her a lot and damaging those feathers. He needs to be pulled out to give her a break.

Slow and steady on reintroducing her. If you have a cage or a way to keep the other away but the can see and hear her is the safest way. If they free range, very often that helps getting another back in the flock.


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## marieromero307 (6 mo ago)

Ok thank you. I Do understand that the rooster is the mostly the problem but why are the other chickens attacking her? When I put her to free range with them all the chickens and the rooster had cornered her in the pen and were all fighting with her.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Because you separated her. They don't recognize her as having been a member of the flock. 

Make her a safe place outside until they get over their bullishness.


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## Lillith (10 mo ago)

Yes, what Robin said. Chickens don't readily accept new flock members. It takes a slow integration period.

Do stop the damaged feathers, you can pull the rooster out or get more hens.


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## marieromero307 (6 mo ago)

Lillith said:


> Yes, what Robin said. Chickens don't readily accept new flock members. It takes a slow integration period.
> 
> Do stop the damaged feathers, you can pull the rooster out or get more hens.


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## marieromero307 (6 mo ago)

Thank you. How long do you guys think I should keep the rooster separated from the chickens?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

marieromero307 said:


> Thank you. How long do you guys think I should keep the rooster separated from the chickens?


I wouldnt remove the rooster. He would come back more aggressively than ever for mating purposes.
You have choices, one of which I highly recommend is buying a chicken saddle/apron and putting it on your hen.








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OR, you can put chicken peepers/blinders on your rooster. You'll need the pliers to put it on and remove it:








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Make sure you get the correct size saddle for your hen and correct size peeper for your rooster.

The third option is to rehome the rooster.


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## marieromero307 (6 mo ago)

I'll try the jacket. For the chicken I'm thinking I might have to rehome her I just really don't want to she's so sweet. If I moved the rooster into a separate pen permanently would that make him more aggressive towards me. We have a mutual understanding he eats out of my hand and I don't get the eggs when any of the chickens are in the pen or he freaks out. I'm wondering if he would be trying to attack me for keeping him away from the chickens


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Rehoming the hen is NOT the answer. If you do that, the next hen that's low in the pecking order will be next. That's why it's called a "pecking order."
Put the chicken saddle on the hen to protect her back and sides, then you dont have to worry about the rooster hurting the hen. If he does, then put the peepers on him or rehome him. You wont regret it.


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