I am sooo fed up!

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

You are all right. I am the one being ridiculous here...I do think it is partly a boredom issue. Were this hen not such a pet to my husband (and I will admit it, to me

) she would have found a less confined home already. As it is, due to MANY predators in the area and some fairly "uppity" neighbors who don't like finding chickens in their yards, free range is very limited. *sigh*

I came home from work today to find my husband, shirtless, sitting on his butt in the coop. He had segregated the mean girl and her BFF, a BR, and our "cat fight loving" roo into the coop and was blocking the door to the run so that the two cochin girls and two delawares could actually eat/drink. I thought he was sweet.

Later this evening, I went out and saw mean girl beating the others up again. I cornered her and she ran but finally just gave up and squatted for me. I felt like a vile human being. She was so worried about what I was going to do to her that she immediately assumed the ultimate submissive position and it broke my heart that she would be so scared and just give up! I have NEVER hurt her, in any way, but because we have been yelling/hitting the fence so much I guess she thought I was there to "get" her. I put her in the coop with her BFF and roo again to let the others eat/drink and my heart broke again because I watched the BR girl grab and peck her like mean girl does the delawares. She is not the top chicken but she eeks out punishment like she is! My heart is heavy in this situation because I know that even if I segregate her, the BR will take over the assaulting, or one of the other hens (maybe a delaware) will change hierarchy and there will always be a chicken or two who is mistreated.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Quote:
LOL oh my goodness they even look MEAN!!! Look at that stink eye... I am shaking...LOL

 

[Resolution]

Whenever you introduce new birds into an enclosure that already has an established social environment, it's up to you to create a new physical environment- interior redecoration if you will. Make it so that the bossy birds can't recognize their old haunts=can't chase- don't own-

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:
You know, I had not thought of that! Great suggestion and I may try that tomorrow! I did remove the new girls to their own sleeping quarters with the intent of trying to reintegrate during the day time. That will give me an opportunity to make some changes and take them all out until I get finished in the afternoon tomorrow. That way when I put them back there is "new scenery" and they will be in a "new place" lol

Thanks! I have hope!

Also just realized another idea all on my own: maybe I should put the less dominant/assaulted girls in for a little while alone first in the "new digs"...so that when mean girls come back in they weren't "first" and therefore are entering "new territory" where "hen pecked" girls were already there...hmmm....middle of the night and I want to go out coop furniture moving lol

 

[Lbrad7]

She would go into a pot or be put out to free range on her own. I wouldn't ever let one hen rain terror down on the rest of my flock.

Good luck to you.

 

[flakey chick]

Sounds like mean girl could use some peepers. I expect she would still be top of the pecking order and boss the other girls around, but less successfully. Maybe after the adjustment is made, the peepers could come off again.

 

[TheFeatheredTempest]

What if you let her hatch out her own chicks, or better yet switch out her eggs for some of the other breeds you'd like to have. Then since they are "her own" babies maybe she will also be accepting of them once they mature. ??? It means waiting for chicks to mature before you will have more egg layers, but..........it just might work.

 

[chkn]

Quote:
They do look meanernhell too!!! Some of those hens are just awful.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Personally, I'd get a wire dog cage and lock the mean hen up. Keep the wire dog cage in the main henhouse, but keep her locked up for the safety of the other birds.


You could try letting her out after about a week on a TRIAL BASIS ONLY. If she behaves and does not go after other hens, then let her stay out for a few hours. If she attacks another bird even once, she goes back in for at least a few more days.


I would NOT allow one bird to terrorize other birds!


If she cannot be brought under control, cull her for the welfare of the others in your flock.

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
I can't believe this thread went 3 pages before anyone suggested peepers!
Those would do the trick without hurting or scaring anyone, or trying to house them separately. Very inexpensive and good to have a few on hand for if they are needed. Such a simple but effective solution. My grandma kept peepers on her spare roos to stop them killing each other til they were big enough for freezer camp, so I know they work.
Maybe that would work for you.
(I wouldn't buy just ONE peeper, I'd get maybe 1/2 a dozen so the Alpha hen, or any mean chicken, could share the fun if need be

)