aggresive silkie

[chuckscleo]

Hi wondering if anyone can help.

I picked up 4 silkies yesterday, 3 white and 1 partridge.

They were fine yesterday and this morning exploring, all eating and drinking and they went to bed fine. They have an attached walk in metal run.

However this afternoon the partridge one is really attacking the 3 white silkies, its not any particular white one. The partridge one will attack all 3.

The partridge one keeps going in and out of the coop and when she comes out she will run and what looks like peck and pull the other birds to the extent that the 3 white silkies are hiding behind a tree stump that is in the run.

Ive just gone and hung up some cds in the hope it could entertain but shes still doing the same.

Im really worried as its a long time till bedtime and what if she continues to attack them.

Is this normal? Is it a pecking order thing? It looks quite aggressive- no blood yet but its a peck and pull sort of thing.

I dont know whether i should put the partridge one in the coop and lock her in for the time being? Its horrible to see and i feel lost on what to do for the best.

Any help i would be grateful.

thanks

 

[PlymouthRockBBredSebright]

WOW what a rude little gal. If she is going in and out of coop it could be 2 different things: 1) She has to lay an egg and doesn't want anyone interferring
2) She already HAS laid an egg and is trying to "protect" what she thinks is her "baby".

 

[mymilliefleur]

It's possible that the partridge girl was separate before you bought her, and is not taking well to her new flock mates. Try separating her for a week or two, and than reintroducing her, when the others have had a chance to settle in. Also, are you sure that she is a she?

 

[Erin80]

We have a very bossy silkie as well - I am actually pretty certain she's at the top of the pecking order among my girls (one other silkie, two barred rocks, 1 ameraucana and 1 Icelandic). She even stands up to my dog - he will go over to the run fence, she will run to the fence and stand up tall...if he puts his nose anywhere near her to sniff she will peck right away. He comes in the run with me once in a while (he's a puppy, so I am getting him used to the chickens so that they can safely free range around him eventually) and she full out attacks him. It's INSANE. She's also very vocal. She's very friendly with us, but as soon as I throw a treat of any kind in there she pushes herself through everyone else to be first to eat. Such a small bird, the smallest out of everyone....but she's evil!

 

[chuckscleo]

Hi thanks for your replies.

I saw the partridge one being vocal and i thought this is the noise hens do when they are letting people know they are laying an egg as it went in the coop afterwards. I checked and there was no egg and ive since checked as it kept on going back in but nothing.

Then it started picking on the others so eventually i shut it up in the coop for half an hour. I went back and opened it up and it didnt want to come out for a while- it was in the nesting box so i though perhaps it just needs some peace maybe. However it came back out and started attacking the others again and is pulling feathers out now.

So ive put it back in the coop again im not sure what to do now, can it be left in the coop with the others tonight? Will it calm down in the dark or will it just continually fight? I dont have another coop so will a box in the shed be ok for tonight?

Ive been saying 'it' as i asked the farmer for hens but when someone said is it definitely a she- ive began to look at pictures and im not sure now, especially with the aggressive behaviour and it being very vocal? but i suppose it still could be a hen with that temperant.

This is a photo i managed to take- do you think it looks like a hen or rooster?

thanks

 

[Casastash]

I’m not an expert but my first thought was roo, my silkie hens look more delicate In the face? Again NOT an expert



Sorry for your troubles I hope things get better!

 

[chuckscleo]

Hi, bit of an update.
I ended up separating her again in the afternoon, i put her in the coop alone for 30 mins and when i let her out she was so much nicer.
I checked inside for any poo and there was our first egg, so it turns out she is a she and perhaps that might have been causing the trouble.
Everyone is tucked up in bed together tonight and we have our first egg so the day ended on a high.
Its only technically day 1 and ive been thinking doing and reading about chickens all day.

Thanks for your help everyone, i feel a right rookie!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

hmmm....... if you are sure it was her that laid the egg, it sounds like a rooster.

 

[m1chelle1]

Yeah, sounds like a He. Ive only had one slikie, it was a he and this sounds just like him. Are you sure about who had laid that egg??
Just a thought....good luck

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

it looks like a roo from the pic too.