Broody Orp being picked on - is this normal?

[lauriruth]

My BO is broody...sitting on golf balls! when i take her off the nest and let them free range, i lock them out (hoping to break her). I've removed all golf balls and eggs. she walks around all puffed up and if she comes within 20 ft. of another hen, they pounce her...she screams and runs. she keeps trying to join the flock, but the minute she puffs up they attack. do i just have to wait it out?

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Yes. It's the pecking order in action and it isn't pretty.

 

[NC29mom]

Yep, my BO hens were the same. After one would go broody and hatch the chicks we would put them in a separate area, but the other hens could still seem them. Well, after about 6 weeks with the chicks, we put the hen back with her original flock and just kept the chicks together. SAME THING, the other hens would pick on her and give her a hard time.

It's kinda wierd. My first hen that went broody was at the TOP of the pecking order. It's been several weeks now she's been back with her original flock, poor thing, she's pretty much at the bottom now! Guess she'll have to fight her way back to the top. It will subside eventually. A few days at the most. Best of luck to you!!