I walked by the run this morning and noticed there was an adult in the area with the babies. It took me a while to get the big girl out, and she pecked at one of the little girls before I got her out. Then all the other little ones began pecking the bloody spot on that poor girl until her white back was covered in red. I was able to catch her and now she's in quarantine in the workshop until her back heals a little.
Our neighbor gave me a natural salve made from comfrey leaves that will hopefully speed the healing. It's Vaseline with herbs mixed in:
We have had a lot more issues with this younger generation pecking each other. We actually kicked one girl out already because she was pecking everyone. In a day's time she made more than half her sibs bleed. We tried separating her for a few days to disrupt her position in the pecking order but she was even worse when we put her back in. Not only was she pecking, but she was also doing this thing where she would grab ahold of another bird then twist her head trying to pull off skin. So she's on her own now out in the yard - our total free ranger. I put out some food and water for her but she's gotta figure out the rest because she can't be with the others. Mean girl, chicken style.
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