Agressive/bully hen What can I do?

[Mrs. K]

"If you add tree stumps and other places to perch, having places to retreat can help." Azygous good advice
Many times the run is an open, bare rectangle. Setting up a pallet on bricks, leaning one up against a wall, creating a small wall in the middle of the run, adding roosts to the run, can give birds a place to get away and out of sight of other birds. It may make things look cluttered, but it actually increases the square footage of the run as birds can be at different levels.

But generally speaking, when you have birds raised up together, and then one or more becomes the bully, as the birds have gotten bigger, and the space remains the same, the less space they have. What is your count, what is the space? Often times, you need to reduce the size of the flock to make them fit better. Almost always, tension in the flock is due to a lack of sufficient space.

Mrs K

 

[Cynthia 085]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the help.
I have 8 chickens total.
Two silkies, 4 cochins, and 2 sultans.
My coop is 6feet wide 12 feet long. Not sure if it's enough room for the 8 I have please let me know. I do have where the chickens can prrch, but I can add more.
Leyena crumbles, regular layer feed, scratch as treats, fruit & veggies on a daily basis ect.
Last year I had two silkies, one sultan, and one cochin. Late that summer I got 3 cochins.
They were fine. No one fought, but then they grew up.

One in particular started to be a really big bully. The bully had the one sultan so scared that she almost died of starvation. I intervined and just separated them, but this did not fix the issue.

Now I got this new soultan so the other would not be alone. I want them to get a long, but the boss queen is just too mean.

I hope I answered your questions and thanks for the help.

 

[Cynthia 085]

The silkies, the soultans, and three cochins get a long well.
It's just that (barredrock) cochin. She is a beauty, but so mean.

 

[Cynthia 085]

Update:Hi guys,
So things are going well as I keep monitoring her.

Somehow she got out of the pen I had her in and pecked at my white cochin. The affected cochin had blood all over her feathers and feet. Just a few feathers damaged; she is fine, but it looked worse than what it was.

However, after confinement she has been nicer. A few pecks here and there. More happy to freerange. I added more perches ect to the coop and that has helped

Thank you for all of your advice. How do I go about keeping her like this? Will she go back to being mean?

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I would try and separate her a little longer

 

[aart]

Update:Hi guys,
So things are going well as I keep monitoring her.

Somehow she got out of the pen I had her in and pecked at my white cochin. The affected cochin had blood all over her feathers and feet. Just a few feathers damaged; she is fine, but it looked worse than what it was.

However, after confinement she has been nicer. A few pecks here and there. More happy to freerange. I added more perches ect to the coop and that has helped

Thank you for all of your advice. How do I go about keeping her like this? Will she go back to being mean?

Just watch her with the flock......if she goes back to her old ways, separate her again.
As for bloodying the cochin,
you'll have to asses if it was a lucky one shot that drew blood or she really went after her repeatedly and/or held on longer than necessary.

 

[Cynthia 085]

Hi guys,
Well I separated her for a week.
She went out of prison and went on to peck and drag those around her. Holding on longer than necessary and now one of my chickens is limping because she got jumped, pecked, and dragged.
She can't stay and be a part of the flock anymore someone will be here shortly to adopt her.

I have given everything to that chicken and that probably adds to this issue. A great home, excellent food, and care, but she is just plain mean.

I don't understand she was happy and got a long well with the others until she matured. I got her from a chick and she was the smallest out of them all. If only roosters were allowed here I am sure she would do better.
This is really sad actually. :/

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Well I'm sorry but I wouldn't just give up on her I if you could try and arrange things around to make things new to all of me give them lots of food toys hang blank CDs around there run give them a swing a bunch of roost

 

[aart]

Hi guys,
Well I separated her for a week.
She went out of prison and went on to peck and drag those around her. Holding on longer than necessary and now one of my chickens is limping because she got jumped, pecked, and dragged.
She can't stay and be a part of the flock anymore someone will be here shortly to adopt her.

I have given everything to that chicken and that probably adds to this issue. A great home, excellent food, and care, but she is just plain mean.

I don't understand she was happy and got a long well with the others until she matured. I got her from a chick and she was the smallest out of them all. If only roosters were allowed here I am sure she would do better.
This is really sad actually.

Sometimes they are just rogue, something wrong on the brain circuitry, and do not fit in with a flock.
I've had a few mean ones, they were delicious.

 

[lazy gardener]

Cynthia, I agree with Aart. You've given it your best shot. You've tried re-arranging the pecking order. This gal is bent on destruction. If she were in my flock, I'd not hesitate to eat her. However, I understand that there are poultry keepers who consider their chickens to be pets and would never consider that option. Your only other options to restore harmony are to either re-home her, or give her her own private pent house.