Aggressive hen attacking new birds

[Billie-Jean]

Hi everyone,

I only seem to post in the emergency section! Sadly poor Ginger died a fortnight ago Babs was really depressed, which I know sounds silly. But she seemed to forget how to 'chicken' if that makes sense. She ate very little and just stood under their favourite hedge looking for her.

So I decided, perhaps stupidly, to get her a friend and accidentally (!) bought two new little pullets. I spoke to the farm whom have always been fantastic with me and they said that two would be better, giving them an advantage of numbers when introducing them to Babs. I had prewarned them that Babs has always been top hen. Anyway, they said its fine to keep them isolated etc etc but I may as well bung them together and let them fight it out, as long as there was no injury.

Suffice to say, Babs has been a real witch to them. She chased them relentlessly screeching in their face and pecking their heads. So I started to lock the two new birds in the coop run (about 12 square feet) and let Babs roam in the garden. I had thought there was a tiny improvement after 2 days, as Babs didn't seem quite as noisy. But sometimes, when I have to go out, I have to put Babs with the new pullets to keep them safe from foxes and whathaveyou. Tonight was just horrendous. The two new chicks are just terrified of her and she's worryingly savage. My dad went to check on them at 7ish and apparently (he does have a tendency to exaggerate a little!) Babs had 'pinned Miss Anne down by her throat' and was pecking at her head til she was 'covered in blood'. So he supposedly flapped at her and Babs relented and was promptly hurled in the shed. I've looked at the damage, though I could only see by torch, and there's a small wound. I couldn't see there had been some blood, not much, but there was a little bald patch probably the size of my little fingernail.

I will obviously have to judge for myself in the morning to see the state of the damage. But I'm starting to worry that This behaviour is beyond establishing the pecking order. I know it can be so severe a bird can be killed, especially if blood is drawn. I've never had to introduce new hens so I'm not sure how aggressive the behaviour can get that would be considered 'normal' that would improve in time. I really need some advice of the best action. I would like to state that destroying the aggressive bird is not an option, and rehoming would really be the last resort. My brother has two hens the same age as Babs and has said he would have her, but I'm concerned because I don't want to give him an aggressive bird (I assume she'd be at the bottom of the pecking order by default?) nor do I want, as utterly stupid as it sounds, for Babs to be bullied and attacked by his birds.

I have a beak clip she has worn before, but I do worry that while it stops the grab and pull aggression, it won't stop the stabbing action. I also have purple spray (I forget the proper name) and anti peck spray.

My idea is to put the clip back on Babs, to disguise the wound on Miss Anne with the purple spray, and dousing her and Betsy with anti peck spray in the hope it would be a deterrent. I don't really have the facilities to keep them separate all day every day, I work every day and I am out on the green belt, there are foxes around. My concern is not so much that Babs will wander off out the garden, more that she would be vulnerable left out in the open without the coop for cover. I would also make Babs sleep in the box of disgrace in the shed for a week or two, hopefully that will make her realise she's in the sin bin and not her usual eglu bed.

I would appreciate advice from anyone with similar experience, to find out what the best action would be (firstly to encourage the birds to get along) and how long does it usually take to get over one another and get along as a group. I do think they could get along, she isn't actually a naturally nasty or aggressive bird. I have a beak clip ironically because she was bullied by Ginge, who tore her to shreds a year or so back. She's actually a very friendly chuck and other than their one spat, she and Ginge were the best of friends. It's just the new ones. Which makes me think deep down that it isn't a display of unnaturally aggressive behaviour, but more of a very aggressive pecking order fight. I just don't want it to end in Miss Anne's demise!

Thank you for any help or advice offered!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Can you get a large dog crate or something like that so the two new ones can live next to but not with Babs for a week or two? If they can see and hear each other without physical contact it might help them get used to each other. I wouldn't limit her freedom though. She needs to go away from them or hang out next to them as she pleases I would expect. But she might come to appreciate their company. They are ultimately social animals.