Quote: I agree. The calmer leader is the one of greater value in my opinion. I won't keep an alpha rooster or hen who incites agitation or fear among its subordinates. Not that spacky ones tend to become alphas, interestingly.
Regarding people who aren't open to someone having a different opinion, I ought to start noticing which ones they are, because they tend to segregate themselves with a few old buddies and savage anyone who they disagree with. The warning signs are there, I've just got to pay attention; if they're closed-minded, I should just avoid conversing with them. Never leads anywhere good. Often they find people to disagree with who aren't even talking to them, though.
Sadly a lot of folks I know become intellectual hermits after a certain age, which they've been taught is pre-determined as the age of either knowing it all or being unable to change or learn anything new. They just assume that's how it has to be and so they fulfill that concept without challenging it. People limiting their own potential is saddening. I find old folks who are as inquisitive as they were when young very inspiring. Some people just keep on squeezing the most out of life.
Quote: Agree, also. The immediate environment is what shapes what their offspring will be like, as they change in response to it. Some behavioral issues may persist for a lifetime though, which is one thing I cull for but some chooks really do grow to their best potential when introduced to a better environment. I have had hatchery chooks who changed to a huge degree when kept as naturally as possible. They ceased negative behaviors, developed much more intelligence than they arrived with (as POL Pullets), and some even went on to be good mothers and produce well-behaved daughters. Other hens from the same hatchery and genetics kept on normal pellet diets in cages remained the sub-par birds they were most likely to be, due to not having the extra nutrition, freeranging and lifestyle opportunities mine had. Every positive makes a huge difference. If any of my hatchery birds had been chronic bullies though I wouldn't have given them the chance.
Quote: I think all that does is change where she is on the social ladder, which is a proven way to manage some bullies for those who prefer to keep rather than cull them. Chicken's intelligence levels vary, and some are intelligent enough to train to do tricks. Others really are quite low in intelligence and without help they can't figure their way out of a cage they've been allowed to walk in and out of every single day of their lives.
If you feed them kelp it will boost their IQ and solve a lot of social issues. Smart chooks do not bully, interestingly. They're just not inclined to violence. The dumber your chooks are the more likely they are to be violent, in my experience. Kelp is a complete nutrient source which not only makes them smarter and healthier, but also makes them calmer because even when the population density is quite high, they won't stress over it and become violent as long as they're receiving enough nutrience. Normal 'complete feeds' are actually utterly basic survival rations which induces a sort of desperation in them which leads to violence in the drive to reduce population because their complete nutrition needs are not being met. Animals can live with malnutrition for a long time, many years, before dying of its diseases.
Even with very intelligent animals, getting them to understand that they're being punished is one of the hardest things. Often all they perceive is that they're being attacked for something or that they've become trapped or stuck in isolation; no reason why is comprehended. However if it works for you, why not? Each to their own. best wishes.
I've removed her again, this time will be a week and a half, and if she doesn't get a clue and play nice, I'll have to give her away or hopefully trade her for another pullet.
