So, I have a hen that is over a year old - certainly not ready to retire from egg-laying. BUT, I am considering retiring her from the flock (moving her, not culling her) for one reason and was wondering if it's a good reason or not.
I've noticed for a few months now, that one Buff Orpington hen gets bullied/ denied access to food. Twice, I've had to treat her comb due to bleeding. I at first thought it was another hen pecking at her, but the last time her comb got all bloody, the kids told me it was our rooster. And since then, I've seen with my own eyes him doing it. Now, I know he'll hold onto her comb when he's mating her, but sometimes, he'll chase her around until she squats and half the time, he doesn't even mate her, he just grabs her comb and pulls on it. She squawks and runs to hide. He will not let her go near food in the morning when they all go out or table scraps when we go out there and give them some. She waits in the coop in the morning for 15-30 minutes until everyone else has wondered off from the feeder until she'll come out and peck at the food. It's very concerning. I don't know why he's doing it. She seems to be the only one he singles out. Even when I go out there with treats, she doesn't come running because she knows he's going to chase her away.
I'm thinking about putting her in her own coop and run with a few chicks that I got this year. The issue with this is that come winter, I'll most likely have to combine the two flocks (if I keep them separate) as I plan to put them all in the greenhouse. Or maybe it's not a big deal and as long as she's not looking too bad, it's okay? As far as I've seen, she's still getting food and still laying eggs, but just seems to be at the very bottom of the totem pole. I'm wondering why the ROOSTER is bullying her. I usually see him breaking up fights. He's usually a very docile rooster too and good about watching after his girls. He's calm and comfortable around my children - he'll let my 3 year old daughter hold him, give him hugs and carry him around. Basically, I don't feel right about how he's treating this one hen and not sure what to do about it, if anything.
I've noticed for a few months now, that one Buff Orpington hen gets bullied/ denied access to food. Twice, I've had to treat her comb due to bleeding. I at first thought it was another hen pecking at her, but the last time her comb got all bloody, the kids told me it was our rooster. And since then, I've seen with my own eyes him doing it. Now, I know he'll hold onto her comb when he's mating her, but sometimes, he'll chase her around until she squats and half the time, he doesn't even mate her, he just grabs her comb and pulls on it. She squawks and runs to hide. He will not let her go near food in the morning when they all go out or table scraps when we go out there and give them some. She waits in the coop in the morning for 15-30 minutes until everyone else has wondered off from the feeder until she'll come out and peck at the food. It's very concerning. I don't know why he's doing it. She seems to be the only one he singles out. Even when I go out there with treats, she doesn't come running because she knows he's going to chase her away.
I'm thinking about putting her in her own coop and run with a few chicks that I got this year. The issue with this is that come winter, I'll most likely have to combine the two flocks (if I keep them separate) as I plan to put them all in the greenhouse. Or maybe it's not a big deal and as long as she's not looking too bad, it's okay? As far as I've seen, she's still getting food and still laying eggs, but just seems to be at the very bottom of the totem pole. I'm wondering why the ROOSTER is bullying her. I usually see him breaking up fights. He's usually a very docile rooster too and good about watching after his girls. He's calm and comfortable around my children - he'll let my 3 year old daughter hold him, give him hugs and carry him around. Basically, I don't feel right about how he's treating this one hen and not sure what to do about it, if anything.