Bullying Issue Need Help

[galanie]

Ok that isn't isolation. Isolation is by themselves. The reason it's needed for the one bullying is this: Being separated from the other hens will reset that hen in the pecking order after about a week. It will then start at the bottom of the pecking order and not be able to bully anyone around for at least a while, if ever again. You might try doing what you're doing, only take one out for a day or two until you can isolate the real Bully. THEN put her bottom apart from the others. She can be in a cage like that just not ever able to mingle with them.

Edit: Sorry, I should have explained that the first time but I was being brief. Too brief.

 

[gltrap54]

Ok that isn't isolation. Isolation is by themselves. The reason it's needed for the one bullying is this: Being separated from the other hens will reset that hen in the pecking order after about a week. It will then start at the bottom of the pecking order and not be able to bully anyone around for at least a while, if ever again. You might try doing what you're doing, only take one out for a day or two until you can isolate the real Bully. THEN put her bottom apart from the others. She can be in a cage like that just not ever able to mingle with them.
Edit: Sorry, I should have explained that the first time but I was being brief. Too brief.

OK..... I've isolated the one hen that I think is doing the bullying. Now, does she remain confined for the week or so or can I let her out to free range when the other hens are in their run/coop?

 

[Fred's Hens]

OK..... I've isolated the one hen that I think is doing the bullying. Now, does she remain confined for the week or so or can I let her out to free range when the other hens are in their run/coop?

Here's the theory. The bird is isolated, out of sight and sound of the flock and kept in isolation from the flock for 2 weeks. This bird thus loses its place in the pecking order of the flock and flock reshuffles. Then, the isolated bird is re-introduced and must again find its place in the flock. The hope is that the flock dynamic changes for the better.

Realistically, this doesn't always happen. If a particular bird was a bit of a nasty bird before, it may rise to that same place once again. In flocks with roosters there is often less of this hen versus hen stuff, but in an all hen flock, things just have to sort themselves out and often do, if patience is employed.

 

[galanie]

Here's the theory.  The bird is isolated, out of sight and sound of the flock and kept in isolation from the flock for 2 weeks.  This bird thus loses its place in the pecking order of the flock and flock reshuffles.   Then, the isolated bird is re-introduced and must again find its place in the flock.  The hope is that the flock dynamic changes for the better.  

Realistically, this doesn't always happen.  If a particular bird was a bit of a nasty bird before, it may rise to that same place once again.  In flocks with roosters there is often less of this hen versus hen stuff, but in an all hen flock, things just have to sort themselves out and often do, if patience is employed.  

Exactly. I will add that for myself, I no longer even try this. The offender just gets either rehomed or eaten. Life is too short and the well being of my flock is too important to me to keep playing with Chicken Rehab.

 

[gltrap54]

Here's the theory. The bird is isolated, out of sight and sound of the flock and kept in isolation from the flock for 2 weeks. This bird thus loses its place in the pecking order of the flock and flock reshuffles. Then, the isolated bird is re-introduced and must again find its place in the flock. The hope is that the flock dynamic changes for the better.

Realistically, this doesn't always happen. If a particular bird was a bit of a nasty bird before, it may rise to that same place once again. In flocks with roosters there is often less of this hen versus hen stuff, but in an all hen flock, things just have to sort themselves out and often do, if patience is employed.

Useful info...... Thanks ! Since I'm retired & have the time to fool with this, I'll move the hen to my shop for a couple of weeks...... Although I've been known to "deal" with mean chickens in times gone by, I'll give this a try...... OBTW I make great fresh pasta that compliments chicken quite nicely!

 

[galanie]

Sounds good! I won't bother with fresh pasta since mine never is good but I make some great bread that makes nice chicken sandwiches

 

[silverback]

Reinforcing the isolation and re-introduction comment: one of my hens (Ginger) was top hen until she got sick (egg bound) and was removed to my guest room to recover. It took about a week of nursing and she recovered. BUT when she returned to the flock (of 5 others) she was bullied by the hen she used to pick on the most. Poor Ginger is now next to last in the pecking order. I talked to a bird vet who said the others will always take advantage of bettering their position and getting "payback" when they can. Interesting. So, isolation and reintroduction may work. But then you may feel sorry for the former bully......
S.

 

[gltrap54]

Reinforcing the isolation and re-introduction comment: one of my hens (Ginger) was top hen until she got sick (egg bound) and was removed to my guest room to recover. It took about a week of nursing and she recovered. BUT when she returned to the flock (of 5 others) she was bullied by the hen she used to pick on the most. Poor Ginger is now next to last in the pecking order. I talked to a bird vet who said the others will always take advantage of bettering their position and getting "payback" when they can. Interesting. So, isolation and reintroduction may work. But then you may feel sorry for the former bully......
S.

Yeah, I thought about future issues when this hen is reintroduced..... Oh well, she's here at my shop looking at me from her pen as I type...... As mad as as I am at her, I've yet to start the pasta for chicken fettuccine.........

 

[mommasachs]

I am having the same issue. I have 4 hens. 1 is getting picked on and 2 of the others are doing the picking. My favorite is the one getting picked on so I would really like to get the other girls to play nice. I could put the two truant chickens in isolation but I think they would just buddy up against the other 2. So how do I find out which of the 2 is the lead bully?? any ideas??

 

[Fred's Hens]

Chickens simply do this. Chicken social politics is rough. There's no real "cure", per se. They and they alone decide this stuff, in the end. There is a reason they choose to find one member of the flock as beneath them. Sometimes, it would seem that they know this particular bird or that particular bird is a weaker or less thrifty member of the flock. On what basis do they decide this? We cannot know. All we can do is observe.

If a single individual is simply a nasty bird, sometimes, sometimes culling that bird will bring harmony. But if two or three birds find a flock member objectionable? There really isn't a good solution. Sorry to say. Nature has run on the rails of survival of the fittest for thousands of years and we cannot always "undo" some of these tendencies.