Aggressive hen

[carolinewatts4]

Hi all,
I have a silver laced Wyandotte that is the big, top hen. She has always been semi aggressive by keeping the five others in check. However lately she has been a bully. Other than her sidekick, a buff Orpington, all my other hens do not have feathers on their back and she is responsible. So I put saddles on them to protect their backs from further damage. Someone suggested giving. Her away, but I want to try everything I can before I do that. We are adding an extension to out coop to make it bigger which may help. Should I separate her? For how long? Is that even effective? Thanks so much

 

[Jeffquest]

We have eight chickens as part of our community gardens and had a problem when we added two new chickens that were fully size. One of them, an araucuna, was getting pecked pretty good. Doug that raises chickens told me that you need to give them protein. So I gave them a can of sardines from the health food store and now it appears that the poor chicken is healing and not being pecked. The other one appears to have some missing feathers below the neck but it appears to be not getting any worse.

In addition I let them roam around the garden for an hour or so each day. Someone told that it is best to separate the pecked chicken for a week and that would break the pecking order. I just let them roam around instead.

I hope this helps-Jeff

 

[carolinewatts4]

So if I give them protein it will help with the healing process?

 

[holm25]

yes protein helps the healing process go by faster if you have a garden you can give them bugs and worms and stuff some types of left overs but i wouldn't give them eggs because that can cause egg eating . but search what types of leftovers and they might have feed with more protein

 

[bugflipper]

Separate her into the crockpot. No need in giving a mean chicken to someone else and along with it giving them the same problem.

 

[carolinewatts4]

I know I just thought that because of the different environment, she would act differently. So based on experience these hens keep bullying others?

 

[Chickeneedy]

Feather pulling/eating can be the result of a lack of protein, so giving some extra may help. You can feed them eggs, just scramble them or hard boil them and crumble them up so they don't associate it with the eggs they lay.

A lack of room can cause stress and bullying, so adding space may help the issue.

If she's just being a bully separate her for a while, long enough for the other chickens to forget her. When you reintroduce her she will no longer be at the top of the pecking order and may calm down some.

 

[carolinewatts4]

Thanks so much! Willa will certainly appreciate not being given away!