hen getting attacked

[branston]

I rescued a very sick, neglected hen 4 weeks ago (will post before and after shots soon). She was supposedly in a hard molt but it's hard to believe as she was in such a terrible state health wise. She's apparently 2 years old but weighed less than my 4 month olds. They said she had been hit by a truck but it looks more like a kick in the face. Her beak is bent, her head is lobsided and she has no sight in one eye. She is looking so much better than when I first got her and started laying the biggest eggs ever for us 3 days ago. Her feather are nearly all grown back and she has gained a lot of weight but still has some more to gain. I keep her in a big dog crate in my house but put her out in a pen throughout the day. I have 29 chickens free ranging so they can see her daily. At 3pm every day I let her out to free range with the others but I stay there to keep an eye on her. All the other hens don't seem to mind her atall and my 2 roosters have mated her, however, there is one particular hen, an Ameraucana, that attacks her at every opportunity! This hen sees the rescue hen and starts running at her. I'll push her away but she just keeps coming. Yesterday, she managed to draw blood before my hubby could grab the rescue hen. I was thinking, before this happened, of putting her on the roost with my 4 month olds when it went dark but the Ameraucana would have access to her and after yesterdays attack, I'm too afraid. Any ideas anyone? Our chickens are all pets, we don't eat them so the stew pot isn't an option. Many thanks

 

[CMV]

Separate you Ameraucana for a week from the flock. Put her in detention for bad behavior. When she returns to the flock she will be too busy fighting for her own standing to pick fights. That is the theory anyway. I have an old hen that has spent a great many days in chicken jail for being a bully and a brute. She gets out and returns to her evil ways after a time. The interim between bouts of bad behavior have extended over the years, though. She is still a brat, but she is less likely to do any actual damage to newbies these days.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[sourland]

Separate you Ameraucana for a week from the flock. Put her in detention for bad behavior. When she returns to the flock she will be too busy fighting for her own standing to pick fights. That is the theory anyway. I have an old hen that has spent a great many days in chicken jail for being a bully and a brute. She gets out and returns to her evil ways after a time. The interim between bouts of bad behavior have extended over the years, though. She is still a brat, but she is less likely to do any actual damage to newbies these days.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

Excellent advice. Hope that this will resolve your problem.

 

[branston]

thanks so much! will give that ago!