Bad Luck Bantams

[thecatumbrella]

BACKSTORY, PT 4

Alright, time to really get in the weeds.

Willow relapsed at the end of May. She had been symptom-free for 6 weeks, so we resumed treatment in the hopes of nipping it in the bud. Treatment is not working. She's slowly getting worse. This is around the time that her twin sister, Wren, starts to show more symptoms as well. Wren also has the same neurological problem from hatch, but maybe at 5% of what Willow deals with. Something clearly went wrong at the hatchery.

Another Pekin, Clover, develops a swollen eye and a bit of a limp. So we give the entire flock a complete health check, only to discover scaly leg mites. They've been outside for just 7 weeks, in an enclosed pen, with freshly laid mulch that's laced with First Saturday Lime. But it is what it is. We treat everyone with Elector PSP, a 10 minute soak per bird.

Flora, the one who hated baby chicks with a fiery passion, does not enjoy her experience and chooses to take it out on Willow the next day by TRYING TO KILL HER. No hyperbole. I've never seen such high levels of aggression in a chicken, except for maybe two cockerels fighting. While attempting to let them "work it out", Flora incites a mob against Willow and they corner her for the KO. I remove Flora and sentence her to chicken jail for 1 week. She never really settled down and was even aggressive towards us, but I didn't want to lose another bird so soon. She serves her time. We let her out. She almost immediately tries to kill Willow again.

Needless to say, we rehomed Flora. I'm now down to 6 birds.

Dandelion immediately picks up the mantle against Willow with Flora gone. It's not quite bullying, but she will not allow Willow within 3 feet of her. My pen is only 9x18, so Willow needs to constantly watch her back. We continue on like this for a several weeks.

One morning, I catch Clover (the one with the bad eye and leg) stalking Willow around the pen. Then she takes chase, pecking and scratching whenever she can catch up to her. Willow is having trouble getting away because she keeps stumbling backwards. A second bird joins the hunt, Hornet. The two of them run her around the pen, over and around every obstacle, until I intervene.

It now dawns on me that the flock is rejecting Willow because of her illness. We immediately set her up in the isolation pen next door and commit to getting her "cured" before allowing her back in with the group. Willow cannot handle being separated, even with her flock right next to her. She paces and backs into walls all day. She doesn't eat. She barely drinks. She stops pooping. I take pity on her and allow her back into the main pen under supervision. She's so happy to be back that her spirits improve immediately. She eats, drinks, and roosts near (but not next to) her friends. This lasts about 30 minutes before the flock tries to drive her out again.

Willow goes back in the isolation pen. Her condition flares, and she once again stops eating and pooping. I try to work with her for 3 days. She's backing up almost non-stop, even when I test her in something small like a crate. My husband talks to the vet, and we make the difficult decision to euthanize her.

I'm now down to 5 birds.

(Willow and Wren)​

 

[thecatumbrella]

Out of ten years keeping chickens, I’ve had one trouble flock and it was rough.

Out of curiosity, do you still have any of the birds from this flock? Or was it a complete do-over?

To be honest, you had me hooked at Dandelion.

Seconded! I love Dandelion.

Dandelion is quite the character. It's hard not to love her.

Following this story. I really want to know what is going on with your remaining flock now

Thanks for being here, Doc!

 

[BoundlessLove]

No, I do not have any of them.
Thank goodness!
We adopted that flock from a friend’s mom who could not care for them. Although they were only about a year old, they were either sickly or flighty. It was one thing after another. Constant!
They were white leghorns and this breed isn’t known for friendliness. And are very flighty!
I couldn’t take it anymore.
We rehomed all of them and I’m sure they were “winner, winner chicken dinner.”
We did not give up on keeping chickens.
We started over with Golden Comet and Isa Brown two day old pullets from the tractor supply.
We spent a lot of time with them as soon as we brought them home.
Those hens were ALL healthy and friendly. No sickness. Great layers!
My son named one Caroline because she was so tame and sweet.

 

[thecatumbrella]

BACKSTORY, PT 5

Now that I'm done cutting onions...

Wren was rehomed in this same time period. There wasn't a behavioral issue or anything like that, but she was the most flighty and nippy of the Pekins, and I just wanted a peaceful flock of 4 that I could pick up without needing a fishing net and chainmail gloves.

I get about a week or two of pure bliss with Poppy, Dandelion, Hornet, and Clover. Dandelion starts laying eggs. She's very hormonal and decides that she absolutely cannot be bottom bird, so Clover needs to be the new Willow. That's fine. Clover can handle herself, even with the bad eye and leg, and tensions cool after a week or so. Everyone's happy and getting along pretty well.

Then I wake up on my birthday to Dandelion going broody. We flail around with that for a couple weeks (as some of you know) because we're new to the broody scene. Dandy eventually goes broody-broody and we sentence her to 3 days in broody jail. Despite being right next to her flock, I allow Dandy a break twice a day to socialize and dust bathe. It's going well. The broodiness is breaking. I let her out in the evening on Day 2, thinking tomorrow's the day she can finally reintegrate.

Hornet has other plans. Hornet is angry that Dandelion isn't spending 100% of her time with the group. Clearly, rubbing feathers together through a mesh wall and spending 2+ hours/day together doesn't count. Hornet thinks Dandy is neglecting her standing. Hornet chooses to be a bully. A real, honest-to-goodness bully. She follows Dandelion around the pen and repeatedly tries to mount her back while ripping out mouthfuls of feathers.

At this point, I cannot believe what I'm seeing. I pick Hornet up and tell her, "Dude, look, we're not doing this. There's no reason to do this. You each have over 40 sqft/bird with crap EVERYWHERE. You're not exactly battery hens." Hornet agrees. I put her on a roost next to Dandelion, and the two of them preen happily together before bed.

I decide to pull out all the stops for tomorrow's reintegration. Extra furniture to poop on, a flock block, herb bundles, whole grain mash toys, the legendary Home Depot bucket, smooth jazz.

I'll let you guess how this is going to go.

(Dandelion, Poppy and Hornet, with Clover in the back)​

 

[thecatumbrella]

Although they were only about a year old, they were either sickly or flighty. It was one thing after another. Constant!
They were white leghorns and this breed isn’t known for friendliness. And are very flighty!
I couldn’t take it anymore.

You pretty much took the words out of my mouth as to what's wrong with this flock (aside from some bad luck). I'm glad you didn't give up and have a peaceful flock now!

 

[ChickenChick46]

BACKSTORY, PT 5

Now that I'm done cutting onions...

Wren was rehomed in this same time period. There wasn't a behavioral issue or anything like that, but she was the most flighty and nippy of the Pekins, and I just wanted a peaceful flock of 4 that I could pick up without needing a fishing net and chainmail gloves.

I get about a week or two of pure bliss with Poppy, Dandelion, Hornet, and Clover. Dandelion starts laying eggs. She's very hormonal and decides that she absolutely cannot be bottom bird, so Clover needs to be the new Willow. That's fine. Clover can handle herself, even with the bad eye and leg, and tensions cool after a week or so. Everyone's happy and getting along pretty well.

Then I wake up on my birthday to Dandelion going broody. We flail around with that for a couple weeks (as some of you know) because we're new to the broody scene. Dandy eventually goes broody-broody and we sentence her to 3 days in broody jail. Despite being right next to her flock, I allow Dandy a break twice a day to socialize and dust bathe. It's going well. The broodiness is breaking. I let her out in the evening on Day 2, thinking tomorrow's the day she can finally reintegrate.

Hornet has other plans. Hornet is angry that Dandelion isn't spending 100% of her time with the group. Clearly, rubbing feathers together through a mesh wall and spending 2+ hours/day together doesn't count. Hornet thinks Dandy is neglecting her standing. Hornet chooses to be a bully. A real, honest-to-goodness bully. She follows Dandelion around the pen and repeatedly tries to mount her back while ripping out mouthfuls of feathers.

At this point, I cannot believe what I'm seeing. I pick Hornet up and tell her, "Dude, look, we're not doing this. There's no reason to do this. You each have over 40 sqft/bird with crap EVERYWHERE. You're not exactly battery hens." Hornet agrees. I put her on a roost next to Dandelion, and the two of them preen happily together before bed.

I decide to pull out all the stops for tomorrow's reintegration. Extra furniture to poop on, a flock block, herb bundles, whole grain mash toys, the legendary Home Depot bucket, smooth jazz.

I'll let you guess how this is going to go.

View attachment 4204922

(Dandelion, Poppy and Hornet, with Clover in the back)​

They're a beautiful flock! Poppy is so tiny!

 

[thecatumbrella]

BACKSTORY, FINAL

The pen of dreams went unappreciated. Hornet did not give up on Dandelion. The flock block attracted mice because they chiseled sunflower seeds to the four corners of the Earth and I couldn't recover them all. So Dandelion went back on the isolation side, this time without a broody breaker. Thankfully, she is the polar opposite of Willow. She was independent, even as a chick, and now happily pecks and scratches away in her own 6x9 section next to the main group. She even likes sleeping alone in our basement brooder! All positive.

We decided to switch things up on Sunday and have Hornet spend some time in the isolation pen. Dandelion joined Poppy and Clover. Clover was immediately put in her place, but otherwise, the 3 of them enjoyed a pleasant day. Until bedtime...

I use an Eglu Cube. It's small. Small is bad when your chickens act like thugs. I literally just published an article about it. Dandy and Clover HAD been sleeping together just fine (I watch them go to bed every night like Big Brother), but this was before the broody stint. I'm ready to watch as the chime goes off, signaling motion in the coop.

It's Clover. Clover is secretly a 90 year-old man and goes to bed before it's even dark. Dandelion appears next. She enters the Cube, carefully steps over the first roost, and then starts BEATING THE SNOT OUT OF CLOVER. It was bad. Clover runs out screaming. Then I watch it happen again, and again. My husband's in the shower and I'm yelling, "You have to go get Dandelion!" So he runs out to the chicken pen, barefoot in his bath towel, covered in soap. Kidding, again. I made him wear a snow parka because it was the only clean "chicken clothing" we could find.

MOVING FORWARD

So here we are. As of today, I have 4 chickens. Poppy, the d'Uccle, rules over all. Hornet, bully to Dandelion, is #2. Dandelion, thug to Clover, is #3. Clover, the 90-year old man, is #4. 1, 2, and 4 are still living happily together in the main pen. Dandelion is living happily next to them and sleeps in my basement. I do not want to lose anymore birds, so I will chronicle my attempts to get the band back together.

My immediate goals are:

• Make a long-term isolation pen. The current one is okay, but I need to make sure there's a proper nest box, roost, etc.
• Get everyone laying eggs. Poppy is squatting. Hornet goes in the nest box most mornings to explore. They're over 5 months old, so it has to be coming soon! I need to see if any other problems crop up as their hormones come in.
• Move on to a new coop. Dandy and Clover need room to maneuver around each other. It just can't be done in the Eglu Cube.
• Give Dandelion time to show whether she's a chronic broody. Because let's be real, going broody before you're 20 weeks-old after laying 8 eggs isn't very encouraging.

 

[ChickenChick46]

BACKSTORY, FINAL

The pen of dreams went unappreciated. Hornet did not give up on Dandelion. The flock block attracted mice because they chiseled sunflower seeds to the four corners of the Earth and I couldn't recover them all. So Dandelion went back on the isolation side, this time without a broody breaker. Thankfully, she is the polar opposite of Willow. She was independent, even as a chick, and now happily pecks and scratches away in her own 6x9 section next to the main group. She even likes sleeping alone in our basement brooder! All positive.

We decided to switch things up on Sunday and have Hornet spend some time in the isolation pen. Dandelion joined Poppy and Clover. Clover was immediately put in her place, but otherwise, the 3 of them enjoyed a pleasant day. Until bedtime...

I use an Eglu Cube. It's small. Small is bad when your chickens act like thugs. I literally just published an article about it. Dandy and Clover HAD been sleeping together just fine (I watch them go to bed every night like Big Brother), but this was before the broody stint. I'm ready to watch as the chime goes off, signaling motion in the coop.

It's Clover. Clover is secretly a 90 year-old man and goes to bed before it's even dark. Dandelion appears next. She enters the Cube, carefully steps over the first roost, and then starts BEATING THE SNOT OUT OF CLOVER. It was bad. Clover runs out screaming. Then I watch it happen again, and again. My husband's in the shower and I'm yelling, "You have to go get Dandelion!" So he runs out to the chicken pen, barefoot in his bath towel, covered in soap. Kidding, again. I made him wear a snow parka because it was the only clean "chicken clothing" we could find. He's out there way too long, but reappears before I can check the camera.

"What happened?!" I ask.
"I couldn't catch her! I've never seen a chicken move so fast. She was running around the pen doing football moves!"

So here we are. As of today, I have 4 chickens. Poppy, the d'Uccle, rules over all. Hornet, bully to Dandelion, is #2. Dandelion, thug to Clover, is #3. Clover, the 90-year old man, is #4. 1, 2, and 4 are still living happily together in the main pen. Dandelion is living happily next to them and sleeps in my basement. I do not want to lose anymore birds, so I will chronicle my attempts to get the band back together.

My immediate goals are:

• Make a long-term isolation pen. The current one is okay, but I need to make sure there's a proper nest box, roost, etc.
• Get everyone laying eggs. Poppy is squatting. Hornet goes in the nest box most mornings to explore. They're over 5 months old, so it has to be coming soon! I need to see if any other problems crop up as their hormones come in.
• Move on to a new coop. Dandy and Clover need room to maneuver around each other. It just can't be done in the Eglu Cube.
• Give Dandelion time to show whether she's a chronic broody. Because let's be real, going broody before you're 20 weeks-old after laying 8 eggs isn't very encouraging.

Wising you the best of luck! Maybe the bigger coop space will help. Fingers crossed , right?

 

[BoundlessLove]

Wishing you well with your plans for the chickens.
You are doing all the right things.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

What an ordeal! I can't even imagine what this must have been like for you. I really hope things start to work out.

As a side note: Did all of these birds come from Meyer? It may be a complete coincidence, but I have 20 chickens from 3 different hatcheries (Meyer was the last), and the chicks I got from Meyer were the worst by far.

I ordered 7 (2 Bielefelder, 2 Bantam Splash Ameraucana, 2 Bantam Mottled Cochin, and 1 Bantam Green Queen). 1 of the Bantam Splash Ameraucanas died the day after I received them (I know this happens sometimes), 1 of the Bielefelders died suddenly in the middle of the night at about 8 months old (hadn't even started laying yet), the Splash Ameraucana that survived has horrible feather shredding, unusually short legs, and is VERY small (even for a bantam). The Bielefelder that survived has one foot with curled toes (despite our best efforts to straighten them and fix any nutrient deficiencies that may be present, she still hobbles around). The 2 bantam cochins (pekins) are healthy, but one of them is constantly broody while simultaneously trying to murder me if I even look in her direction. The only 1 of the 7 from that Meyer order that hasn't had any issues is the bantam Green Queen. I won't ever order from Meyer again.

I'll be following along here, with fingers and toes crossed , that your situation improves with these banties. They are SO cute!!!