Help with my game hen

[tomofhb]

I have 4, 9 months old hens that I've had since they were chicks (RIR, buff Orphington, barred rock and Easter egger). They all get alone great and are great layers.

I adopted a game hen and she's real sketchy, nervous and mean to my girls. I thought this would subside after awhile. I quarantined the game hen for over a month before introducing her to my other hens.

She often bullies them when I throw out mealworms and scratch. They all just run away from her. She also jumps on their backs, pins them down and pecks at the back of their necks. I've never seen her draw blood.

It's not a huge issue but it is starting to annoy me. I'm more attached to my original 4 and I'm thinking of getting rid of the game hen.

Any advice? Below is a pic of my game hen.

 

[kingsfarm]

Hi tom....I don't usually reply but I wanted you to know the "value" of your OEG (old english game hen) I have 3 .. they are the most "faithful" broodies I have...guaranteed at least 2 hatches each a season...yes they are very protective of their chicks...no predator will come around with out a fight...I have no trouble with them because the other (50) chickens don't bother with them...give her a chance .. maybe it will settle when pecking order is obtained...I have a large flock and they all get along...they learn "how to" I value the OEGs to keep generating and enlarging my flock..don't have to worry about the chicks not knowing how to be "chickens" they are taught how to forage for food....thats enough I guess...OEGs do not require as much feed -they are good foragers and will teach the young...hope this helps.....I would take her but I am in Louisiana...G

 

[PrairieChickens]

My OEGB is a very sassy little lady too, but once the bigger chickens learn to respect her space, she leaves them be. Woe be to the ignorant young rooster who tries to get fresh with her!

I can't say for certain that your game hen will mellow out in time, because every chicken is an individual, but you may want to give her more time.

 

[malan37209]

that's usually what happens when you introduce a new hen to a flock, either she will kick all the other girls butts and be to head hen from then on, or she herself will get ruffled up and put in her place.

if you have a nice rooster, he should be able to break up the girls if things get to out of hand, but hen fight are usually not as aggressive as rooster fights, but OEH's do have a strong peck to them.

I adopted one OEH and she would even fight with the roosters, there were only a couple of them that could win her over but not after a nice fight.

right now she is a wonderful mother to 7 chicks, only two of them are from her own eggs (cross with silkie) and the others are wyandottes. and will fight me when ever I open her pen.

all in all, she will fight with them for two/three days, just make sure there is enough room for the other hens to run if things get out of hand. the other girls will learn to give her some space/respect.

 

[tomofhb]

Thank you all for your responses. I'll wait it out before I do anything else.