Aggressive hen PLEASE advise.

[Brenda Jones]

I have a hen that has become mean to the other two in my coop. She has attacked my head hen who is the only one laying at this time. The aggressive hen laid one egg about 8 days ago and either pecked it or stepped on it and punctured it, and hasn't laid since... she acts like she wants to lay but is not doing it. I have placed her in a plastic tote and brought her into the house tonight as she is stressing the other two. She has settled down since I brought her in. I don't know what else to do.

 

[theoldchick]

I separate aggressive hens and put them in their own pen for a few days and try to reintroduce in a few days. If she doesn't improve you may need to rehome her. Also make sure you have enough room for them to go about their daily business without getting on each others nerves.

 

[Brenda Jones]

I separate aggressive hens and put them in their own pen for a few days and try to reintroduce in a few days. If she doesn't improve you may need to rehome her. Also make sure you have enough room for them to go about their daily business without getting on each others nerves.

Thank you. I hope I don't have to rehome her. But I can't have her picking on the others. I thought that if she could just calm down and lay an egg she would feel better LOL

 

[aart]

How big is their coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
Crowding can cause much strife...especially during CabinFever season.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[Brenda Jones]

How big is their coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
Crowding can cause much strife...especially during CabinFever season.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

aart,
The coop in my opinion is very small, but they have plenty of room to roost, and they are only in there at night to sleep, which they usually do very well. They are let out in the morning into the attached run area which is 8 feet long by 6 feet wide and I leave the door open with a baby gate across it to keep the squirrels out. They also like to use the baby gate as a perch. They come and go as they please into a large fenced yard.

My aggressive girl Marigold, (who is not laying, though acts like she wants to) started raising her head (stretching her neck up) to tower over my other hen Merisol, (who was the dominant one... and the only one laying) The aggressive girl goes up into the roost area of the coop for long periods of time like she is laying then comes back down and I check the coop and nothing is there.

I am feeding my girls a whole grain organic grower feed plus supplementing oyster / egg shell and grit free choice. They will also get an occasional treat of meal worms, grubblies, or dried crickets.

They are fence ranged normally, but the area is covered in snow so, I supplement their feed once or twice a day with fresh greens / grasses. I ferment their feed and also offer some dry.

They normally hang really close together. but now Merisol, my hen that is being bullied is out foraging on her own and the aggressive hen Marigold, tries to keep Merisol out of the food, water, run & coop... but will eat right along side her if they are outside. Marigold is not aggressive toward my third hen Matilda (who is at the bottom of the pecking order).

Marigold has been pecking at Merisol's eyes, face & head... yesterday she had Merisol screaming , that is when I intervened and removed her (Marigold) from the group.

 

[Brenda Jones]

Oh my gosh,
I just went out and Merisol (the one that had been picked on yesterday and this morning) started fighting back. She pecked at the Marigold (on the back of the head and neck) when she came over with her neck stretched up at Merisol... is this just redefining the pecking order? Merisol was always the top hen from the time they were chicks as she has always been the largest... Marigold is the tallest and has always been the brave / adventurous one and Matilda just goes along for the ride with whomever is in the front seat.