What can I do about my nasty hen?

[Chicken Cake]

Sausage left yesterday and I think the new owners are very pleased with her.

We spent the afternoon "un"-dividing the run so the other 5 have more room and it's easier for me to maintain. Waffles is the odd one out now because the chicks don't follow her to the far corners of our yard, but they are getting along without any issues. I'm sure they'll get more bold once they realize Sausage isn't going jump out from behind a bush and pound them every 10 minutes.

 

[aart]

Sausage left yesterday and I think the new owners are very pleased with her.

We spent the afternoon "un"-dividing the run so the other 5 have more room and it's easier for me to maintain. Waffles is the odd one out now because the chicks don't follow her to the far corners of our yard, but they are getting along without any issues. I'm sure they'll get more bold once they realize Sausage isn't going jump out from behind a bush and pound them every 10 minutes.

Awesome!!...the new calm is palpable once a trouble making bird is removed from the scene.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Like the calm that ensues after butchering excess roosters.

 

[aart]

Like the calm that ensues after butchering excess roosters.

.....or even just removing them from coop/run and into crates.....it's immediate and wonderful!

 

[Chicken Cake]

Yes, it was very peaceful at first. Now I’m noticing that the chicks don’t have much personality so it was a little boring yesterday without the antics. Just an observation, not a regret. LOL

 

[aart]

Yes, it was very peaceful at first. Now I’m noticing that the chicks don’t have much personality so it was a little boring yesterday without the antics. Just an observation, not a regret. LOL

Has Waffles bothered the chicks?
Do you hand feed Waffles and the chicks...or toss some treats....that might liven things up.

 

[Kiki]

i enjoyed reading this thread. I learned a lot.
Thanks!

 

[Chicken Cake]

Has Waffles bothered the chicks?
Do you hand feed Waffles and the chicks...or toss some treats....that might liven things up.

She pecks them but nothing unreasonable. Instead of running for their lives, they only move about a foot and go back to whatever they were doing.

They all know what the treat jar is and will eat out of my hand but I’ve recently switched from a tiny bit of straight mealworms to mixing it in some healthy scratch. They are not impressed and we are currently in a stand-off about that.

The Brahmas are like lazy dogs in the hot sun and not shy with humans at all, but they aren’t pushy either. The Barnevelders are more aggressive but still squirrely at 11 weeks. Waffles is friendly to the point you can’t sit down without her being ON you.

(that is Sausage in the background)

I’m sure everyone will find their niche soon. It was a shock to go from so much drama to boring chickens, though.

 

[Chicken Cake]

i enjoyed reading this thread. I learned a lot.
Thanks!

What I learned is to research what breeds fit your situation and not think you can put a square peg in a round hole. Waffles, Sausage and 5 others were part of an incubation program as a Christmas gift to my kids. I had no control over what eggs they sent or what popped out of them. We kept 4 and one chick failed to thrive. Sausage was high energy/high alert from the beginning and I thought she would turn out to be our statistical rooster. Instead it was the calm, sweet one that was everyone’s favorite.

 

[Chicken Cake]

I’ve been getting updates with pictures of Sausage. Just like the one I posted on page 1, she is always high headed and high tailed, on alert. LOL

Waffles and one of the Brahmas have paired up some. Pickles doesn’t follow her too far from the coop but they are all venturing out further every day.

I’m considering giving one of my Barnevelders to the same person who took Sausage. The (still unfinished) coop was designed for 4 hens and having 5 will require some modifications. My husband made a good point yesterday that it’s cheaper to buy eggs than feed/house a fifth and I can’t argue with that.