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- #11
- Apr 29, 2018
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no its not just one its all of the older hens getting at the one that has behavior issues. flail like its head is cut off is the only way i could think to describe it. shes in constant panic mode. soon as her feet hit the dirt with the other hens shes screaming, running and jumping around like someone cut her head off EVEN when the older hens are not chasing or pecking at her.the rest are typical breed bernies, silkies
Out of curiosity what are Bernies? I'm not familiar with that term.
Aart's write-up is fairly good but one thing not mentioned is that more mature birds outrank immature birds and are sometimes not shy about enforcing those pecking order rights. But when you say "and as I just found out its only 1 baby chick they harass. could it be that its the only one that flails around like someone cut its head off?" I don't think that is what is going on, or at least not most of it.
Is it just one of the older ones doing this or is it most of them? Sometimes one bird just takes an immense dislike toward another and is not happy until it kills it. Sometimes a flock rejects a bird that they consider "not right". They instinctively do not want that bird adding it's genetics to the gene pool, may be concerned that it is introducing a disease, or its behavior or maybe injury might attract predators. They do not understand why they reject it, they instinctively do. Sometimes if one bird attacks the others join in, sort of like a mob.
If is is just one older bird instigating the aggression I'd isolate that bird well away from the flock for at least a week and try to integrate the younger ones. See what happens. It is possible that older bird will change its behaviors when you put it back.
That space is not great as far as integration goes though it is a lot better than many have. Once integration is over it should work great. Integration is not about square feet per chicken but has more to do with quality of the space. Can a chicken get away from and avoid another when they need to?
From what you say you are doing everything right and that other chick seems to not be having problems. I'm not sure this is an integration issue but is more of a personality conflict. My first step would be to isolate the instigator if you can identify one, modify her behavior. Or keep the chicks isolated a while longer to see if that chick grows out of that behavior if the flock is after it. Or get rid if the chicks and try others. As harsh as this sounds, it is possible there is something wrong with that chick and you don't want it in your flock. Your flock may be right.
Thank you for mentioning it is just one chick and that chick has behavior issues. Until then I was thinking it was a pure integration issue. But that's why it is hard to analyze these things over the internet, you usually don't have all the information. You never know what will be important.
Good luck!