I have two ex battery hens and one is always more domnant but lately she has started to peck at the other one and therefore the one that's getting pecked is losing feathers on her neck and around her bum. What can I do about this?

Obviously I'm thinking separate them for a while but this isn't going to be an easy option as I literally have nowhere to put the other one without buying a separate run for it.

I have tried giving them lots of interesting things to peck at including hanging things like cabbages up for them and basically trying to keep them 'busy'. I think the difficulty is when they are in their sleeping area during the night.

Is there anything that I could get to apply to the affected hen that would stop the other from pecking it? Obviously I'll have to separate them if it becomes worse but thought I would ask for advise.

The hen that is being pecked is just as active as previously and doesn't look to be suffering from any other ill effects but she is starting to look a mess and so I'm worried for her.

Cheers
Karen

its probably just arranging the peking order

Welcome 2 Chickens In The Garden

Sadly ex bats do have a tendency to pecking and even ugh, cannabalism, they will draw blood and still not stop pecking! Distraction will help but also check for mites and lice as these can be the reason too. Sorting out the pecking order is totally different the higher hen will peck and the lower will then run away until the lower understands where to perch and who is the boss.