I'm going to speak of chicken behavior/psychology even though this is the feeding forum.
Behavior begins with breed temperament and progresses from there as it's enabled. In other words, if permitted to continue, and not effectively managed, the bullies become worse tyrants, and the victims become hopeless cowards.
I've been watching a sweet-natured Cream Legbar become a terrorist, even though she was a baby chick just two years ago. She terrorizes her former broody hen and her BFF, both six-year old Speckled Sussex. This little terrorist launches herself at anyone younger, too.
These Speckled Sussex have enjoyed their time at the top of the pecking order and were themselves always significantly assertive. But this young upstart has them both quivering on their feet, and they had taken to hiding out all day in the coop, one of them losing considerable weight due to being afraid of visiting the feeders.
The solution is to manage this group of hens so the victims get relief from their tormentor. This is tricky because the Cream Legbar is currently laying and she needs to be able to access a nest box. So I rotate them through the jail pen located within the main run. This relieves stress on the Sussex which helps rebuild their self confidence, and I'm hoping it will also interrupt the pattern of aggression the Cream Legbar has adopted.
The bottom line is that you need to intervene somehow or risk things getting much worse. The options you choose depend on your management plan, but you need to take some kind of action.
Behavior begins with breed temperament and progresses from there as it's enabled. In other words, if permitted to continue, and not effectively managed, the bullies become worse tyrants, and the victims become hopeless cowards.
I've been watching a sweet-natured Cream Legbar become a terrorist, even though she was a baby chick just two years ago. She terrorizes her former broody hen and her BFF, both six-year old Speckled Sussex. This little terrorist launches herself at anyone younger, too.
These Speckled Sussex have enjoyed their time at the top of the pecking order and were themselves always significantly assertive. But this young upstart has them both quivering on their feet, and they had taken to hiding out all day in the coop, one of them losing considerable weight due to being afraid of visiting the feeders.
The solution is to manage this group of hens so the victims get relief from their tormentor. This is tricky because the Cream Legbar is currently laying and she needs to be able to access a nest box. So I rotate them through the jail pen located within the main run. This relieves stress on the Sussex which helps rebuild their self confidence, and I'm hoping it will also interrupt the pattern of aggression the Cream Legbar has adopted.
The bottom line is that you need to intervene somehow or risk things getting much worse. The options you choose depend on your management plan, but you need to take some kind of action.
I will eliminate a jerk like her if she can't contain herself! Stressed birds are unhappy unproductive birds, and it isn't worth it, IMO.
