Hi runningtrails,

Sounds you've stated it right that this one bird may be younger. Maybe not age wise but maturity wise. Some don't mature as fast as others. Separate-I say this because stressing her at this time may prevent completely developing internally. Constant pecking on the comb area (combs trigger certain hormone changes enabling full maturity in most poultry)will retard and/or prevent completing this development. I wouldn't put more than one other bird with her. When there is only two the pecking order is fully understood and lowers the stress in the underling. Hope this helps. Keep on Chick'en.

To see picture of some of my Feathered Friends visit www.virgilwalters.com

I would NOT separate her, it will just make incorporating her into the flock later, harder. She'll have to go through the pecking order establishment sooner or later, but there are things you can do to help. You are on the right track by standing guard over her. I've got more tips on adding birds to your flock here:

http://jackshenhouse.com/VSChickIntroducingNewBirdsToFlock.htm

As for the food, just add several more temporary food & water containers, spaced out so that the bullies cannot possibly guard them all. Handing out goodies that take time to eat and divert pecking away from her will also help--raw corn on the cob, a cabbage hung from a string, etc. Anything that distracts the others from their new game of 'Let's all pick on what's-her-name' is all good. :)

What breed are they, and are they all the same breed? Some breeds are more aggressive than others.

Velvet ~:>

They are all the asame breed - red sex links - RIR and White Rock cross. I put her physically into a very large nesting box that has a piece of black garden cloth over a portion of it, giving the layer some privacy. She has been in there for 24 hours now. I put in a dish or water and a dish of feed. I also gave her some fresh greens today and will give her some treats tomorrow while the others are eating their treats outside. She leans over and looks out when the house is empty, but I haven't seen her come out on her own in a couple of days. She has everything she needs in there but it can't be good for her.

I hope she deveops fully and gets some confidence very soon.

She still hides all day. We've had her for weeks now and she stays in the nest all the time. I'm thinking about letting this one free range while the others are in the pen. I just can't keep an eye on her. I'm sure she'll be healthier and eat a better diet, but there are so many predators about. I hope she will be ok and come back to the gate at night.

Instead of letting her free range, have you thought about just putting her in a separate cage in the middle of your current run?

My neighbors brought an easter chicken over a couple of months ago and asked if we would take it. She had gotten it from her boss and they were keeping it in a very small box all the time. Of course the child had grown tired of it.

I had a wire dog kennel and I put it in the middle of the chicken run. I covered the top, made the young bird a perch by running a large rod from one side of the kennel to the other. Gave her food and water. I left her in it for several days and that way everybody got use to seeing her.

I did the same thing a few weeks later when I got 2 additional easter chickens from a friend whose neice had gotten them for easter.

There was a little chasing and bickering at first, but since I'm the head roo and hen, I let the other's know real fast to leave them alone. They had to develope their own place in the pecking order and everybody is getting along fine now.

Here is a link that might be useful: MY BLOG:

Yeah, that breed can be a bit aggressive. I wouldn't enable her hiding out, and remove the special food & water. I know it sounds mean, but if she's going to stay, she HAS to get used to the other birds, and they to her. You'll need to do the 'Meet & Greet' thing I outline on my site, and stand over her and make it CLEAR to the others that she is your baby and NOT to be messed with. When you start chasing them and making picking on her NOT FUN, they'll soon lose interest in it and move on to other things.

How big is their pen/free range area? If they feel overcrowded and/or bored, they can be quick to play the 'Let's All Peck What's-Her-Name' game. Give them lots of room, several food & water dishes spaced far apart so the bullies can't guard them all, bushes to hide under and goodies that take time to eat and offer pecking entertainment, such as raw corn on the cob (break each cob into several chunks and spread them out) or a cabbage on a string.

Lastly, make sure she isn't sick on top of all this. The stress of coming to a new home, coupled with being low man on the totem pole, can make her more susceptible to illness.

Lord help these other hens when she starts laying eggs, or worst yet, goes broody! She'll remember every bully and pay them back in spades. My Buff Orpington hen, Betty, started off a tiny chick and is now a GREAT BIG broody girl with numerous scores to settle, and she's working her way through her own little chicken revenge list, I can tell you! :)

Velvet ~:>

She's laying now! I went out this morning and took away the food and water in her big nest and threw back the cloth covering part of the opening and, lo and behold, there was an egg under her! I know she's the only one that's been in there too. Her comb and wattles are still small and light coloured but, since she is laying, maybe she'll have a new confidence now. The egg is bit small but all the new ones are. It's dark brown with a hard shell, though, so she's probably been getting enough to eat.

Well, I'm going to watch them closely now to see how it works out.