A Chicken Chicken

[lmdengler]

I have a problem with one of my young hens. Lucy was born 3/2018 and was part of 6 I purchased from a local farm store. When she arrived, she was much smaller and therefore much cuter than the rest of the babies. She was held and coddled and ohhhh/ahhhed over a lot more. I carried her and it got to the point - if I put my hand in the brooder - she would run over - hop up on my hand and away we would go. If I hold her now and pet her - she falls asleep. If she could smile - she would. As they grew, the rest of the girls held that against her. So when I moved her mates in with the rest of the flock, I kept Lucy apart (mistake). Whenever I tried to intermingle her – everyone immediately picked on her. So put her in with another group of babies who were their own little clan – but much smaller so left her alone. At night they all cuddle under/near her though - which is super sweet. Everyone is quite content. Now, here I would like to start moving the little ones (who are almost 2 months old) closer to the rest of the flock so they can be moved in. My problem is Lucy. I have tried several times to intermingle her. When I let everyone roam free in the evening – the rest of the hens search her out and terrorize her. Any thoughts on what I can do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Pen the young chicks within sight separated by a fence for a few weeks and than start supervised mingling. If there's problems separate them out and try again the next day. Keep at it until you feel comfortable with leaving them together. Sometimes it goes good the first day, other times it takes a few days to weeks depending on the set up and dynamics.

Chickens don't hold things against other chickens. Sometimes the smallest bottom bird in a group gets bullied especially if the coop or run are too small to support the numbers. It isn't a personal thing, it's just an instinct. They also will attack sick acting birds too sometimes.

To avoid bullying always have plenty of room and plenty of hiding places for birds to get away from each other to avoid problems. Chickens are territorial, and size of that territory can dictate the number of chickens that can live on it. Crowd chickens and they will become vicious to each other.

 

[Mrs. K]

Take a middle of the road bird, put her and Lucy together, they will duke it out but should be one on one. Watch when you put her out, there will be the leaders, charging away, you don’t want them or the last one, the second to the last one, or maybe the third to the last one to start to chase, one whose heart is not really in it. That is the bird you put with Lucy. If you can put them in a totally strange place, with some hideouts. Let them become friends.

Then remember the chargers, pull them out, put them where you have had Lucy & friend, putting that pair and all the chicks back in to the flock, your main set up. Have hide outs, have extra roosts, multiple feed stations, mini walls that break the line of sight.

Wait till this settles-several days, let the others back in and promise yourself you will never separate birds again!