"Mean" hen?

[2pyrs]

Please forgive any errors in terminology or description - I'm a novice!

Last July, my friend gave me 10 laying hens; we still have 8 of them (one had a prolapsed...something and died quickly, and about a month ago, the other climbed onto the metal trash can where we store their food, flipped the lid [which was apparently not on tight enough], fell inside the can, and apparently died from the heat - she'd been in there for most of the day). I don't know the breeds of all of them, but there are 2 Araucanas, 2 barred rocks, and I don't know the rest (looking at pictures, two look a lot like "redcap" chickens). The hen in question is by far the biggest hen we have - she's solid white and a lot bigger than our other girls. Tonight, I noticed that at one point, she jumped on top of one of my Araucanas and held her down (I shoo'ed her off), and later, while they were free ranging, she did it again, pulling out feathers in the process.

Is this normal? If so, should I keep a hands-off approach, or if not normal/acceptable, what should I do? My kids call her "Big Mama" and tell me she's mean and bossy to all of them, but this was the first time I saw it directly.

 

[JROOSTER]

Umm sounds like a ROOSTER!!! are you 100% sure its a Hen?

 

[2pyrs]

If it's a rooster, it's the quietest rooster ever. Never heard a crow out of her at all. My kids say they don't often see her in the nest boxes, though.

However, if it's pertinent, she came from a flock with a rooster or two.

 

[cobrien]

Well if she isn't crowing she just might be a mean alpha hen. If she draws blood or pulls out a lot of feathers, or keeps the more submissive ones from eating or drinking, you should probably intervene. One way to do this is to put her in isolation for ~4-7 days, "chicken jail", I've used a dog crate for this purpose. Be sure they have food and water while in jail, of course. She will not be a happy camper while in jail, so be prepared for some squawking. The removal from the flock can re-set / re-arrange the pecking order. Worth a try. But if the bullying isn't that serious, maybe just put out another feeder and waterer so that the more submissive girls can get their share, and try to observe as much as possible.

 

[2pyrs]

We could try that, sure.

My son, who is usually outside near them more than I am, says that she's always chased the other ones (even away from the food - just wandering in the yard) but this last month, she's been jumping on the backs of the chickens and pulling out their feathers. She's done this to all but one (ironically, the one chicken I have who is missing all her feathers on her back), but she seems to target the Araucanas especially.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Really sounds like your she is a he!!!

Missi

 

[2pyrs]

Really? She doesn't look like the roosters I've seen, though - not an especially ornate tail or anything like that. Are there roosters who don't crow? LOL