Help! The predator is one of my hens..

[EIEIOchick]

I am having trouble with my black laced Wyandot, Shirley. She is a bully to the other hens when the rooster is mating them. She stays next to the rooster wherever he is and she pecks the hens' heads during the mating process. This morning, I noticed one of my Easter Eggers was running into the run to get away from such an attack occurring in the covered coop. She appeared to be hobbling and this attack occurred again only worse. Shirley got another hen involved too and when the rooster got off then Shirley jumped on her back and continued to peck her. I shooed them all away. My Easter Egger, Zsa Zsa, just laid on her side. I didn't know what to do but I picked her up and removed her from the others and placed her in our 'chicken jail,' a large dog cage in the yard. Please advise. Should I isolate Shirley, the bully instead?

 

[chicmom]

I personally would isolate the bully for a few weeks. Maybe that will knock her down a peg or two. If it persists, she would make a nice soup.

 

[donrae]

Yep, take Shirley out. Leave her out a good few weeks, then try putting her back in. She may still be lead hen, but she'll have to re-establish that, and her back-ups may not feel like backing her up anymore.

 

[EIEIOchick]

Okay, that sounds like a good plan. I don't know what to do about Zsa Zsa. She hasn't moved since I put her in the pen. She's just standing and even closing her eyes. There are no visible signs of injury. I have no idea if she's okay or not.

 

[EIEIOchick]

I lost poor Zsa Zsa. She dies about an hour ago. I don't know if she was already I'll or if Shirley basically pecked her to death. Shirley is now in solitary confinement and will remain that way for a few weeks!

 

[chicmom]

I lost poor Zsa Zsa. She dies about an hour ago. I don't know if she was already I'll or if Shirley basically pecked her to death. Shirley is now in solitary confinement and will remain that way for a few weeks!

So sorry to hear that! Maybe it was a head injury due to the pecking.......HUGS and more HUGs! So sorry!

 

[EIEIOchick]

TY chicmom! I feel so badly as I should have paid attention sooner and maybe I could have prevented the loss of life. Hard lesson.

 

[lazy gardener]

So sorry for your loss. If, when you put Shirley in with the rest of the flock, her behavior continues, I strongly recommend that you remove her permanently. What ever you do, please don't hatch any of her eggs. Some behaviors can be passed on to future generations.

 

[CrazyTalk]

So sorry for your loss. If, when you put Shirley in with the rest of the flock, her behavior continues, I strongly recommend that you remove her permanently. What ever you do, please don't hatch any of her eggs. Some behaviors can be passed on to future generations.

I agree with all of this.


How many birds do you have and how much space do they have? A lot of aggression issues can be due to space.

 

[EIEIOchick]

Thank you for the tip! My covered coop is 9x12 and the attached run is 25'x40'. Now that Zsa Zsa is gone we have one rooster and 10 hens.